Along Came A Scott
by Leon Sage
Summary: There were only three things that you ever needed to know about Isaac Lahey and they were that his mother died in a terrible car accident with he was seven, he worked two jobs and still managed to get good grades in school and his father beat him regularly. And then came Scott.
1. Chapter 0: Preface

**Preface.**

It was a well known fact in the town that Isaac Lahey was someone that has had it hard all his life. Everything started getting bad when The Lahey's lost their mother when Isaac was only seven years old. Mr. Lahey had begun drinking then and after his father had hit Isaac when Isaac had asked his father to stop drinking one night, the beatings had reoccurred almost every day. Things became worse when Isaac's older brother had left to join the military when Isaac was 12, but nothing, nothing compared to when his brother died in combat when Isaac was only 14 and his father had gone mad with grief.

Getting drunk was his father's only escape from the pain and Isaac served only as an outlet for the anger that Mr. Lahey felt. It was a normal thing to Isaac coming to school with every inch of his body covered up, even during the hottest days or to see him working as the school janitor after hours. He also worked in Whittmore Inc., the company that was owned by Beacon Hills Highschool star lacrosse player, Jackson Whittmore's father and because of that, he was bullied badly in school by the jocks. Isaac barely said anything to anyone and when he did, it was always quite, always careful and never more than a whisper.

His father had drilled into him two rules that he would never forget: Everything that Isaac owned was his father's and that he wasn't worth the dirt under someone's feet. Isaac worked quietly and accepted his father's beatings without complaint. He had learnt long ago that fighting back only made his father worse and when he had sought out help; his father had made sure that everyone knew that Isaac was not to be helped. Isaac still had the scars to show that.

So this was Isaac's life. School, work, giving his father almost every scrap of money he earned and earning beatings for things that he hadn't done. It was hell on earth and it was something that he had resigned the rest of his life to be.

People had stopped trying to help him, knowing full well the wrath of that Mr. Lahey could bring. When he walked on the street, people didn't look at him, or stared with pitying eyes. Some of his schoolmates gave him a sympathizing smile, but everyone knew that Mr. Lahey had ways of knowing who interacted with his son and who talked to him. It was a lonely life that Isaac had known, keeping to himself and to the front porch where he usually slept because his father continually kicked him out of the house.

He would talk to the plants that he tended in the garden and no one on his street on in Beacon Hills for that matter could say that they had a garden more in bloom than the one that Isaac Lahey tended to. Whenever summer came, the Lahey's garden was the only one that didn't yellow as badly and the flowers always made it through the heat.

This is was the life of Isaac Lahey. Living on the porch of his own house, eating once in two or three days if he was lucky, interacting with no one but himself and nature around him, beaten by his peers and his own father. Lonely. Unloved. Overlooked. Uncared for.

And then one day, Isaac woke up to the sound of a truck rumbling down the road and crouched by the porch stairs, peeking around the post. He saw a woman standing by the house two doors down and across the road from his own. She seemed to be talking to someone, but he couldn't see who it was. Isaac crept down the porch stairs and went to the edge of the garden, lowering himself down so that he was hidden by the rose bushes that were in full bloom. He looked through the bushes and his breath caught in his throat.

The woman was talking to a boy who looked like her son and he was smiling at her and when she laughed and punched his shoulder playfully, he turned and laughed with her. That was when he saw his face. His jaw line and his smile. His strong arms reaching around his mother to hug her and his playful brown eyes suddenly looking at him. Isaac recoiled and hid himself in the bushes, ignoring the pricks of thorns and there he sat for the next ten minutes.

And all Isaac could think was: _"You're beautiful."_


	2. Chapter 1: Scotty From The Block

**Chapter 1: Scotty From The Block**

It was three days before Isaac saw Scott again, and all through that time, he would think about that one second that Scott's eyes had met his. That one second that everything around him had stopped. It had been beautiful, but Isaac didn't allow himself a second thought about that. There was no way in the universe that Scott would ever notice him, no way that Scott would… just no way.

"No way…" Isaac whispered to himself as he stuck his head into one of the rose bushes and began pulling out a few strands of weeds that had grown there. "Found something interesting?" a voice came from behind him that Isaac didn't recognize. He leaned back and turned around and fell back, stabbing his hand on a small rock. There was Scott, standing in front of him with tousled hair and a friendly smile on his face. He was wearing a white v-neck t-shirt, khaki shorts and flip-flops. Isaac stared at him and all he could say was a very quiet, "You."

Scott laughed and came closer to Isaac, crouching down in front of him. "Is that a fact?" he said and then his smile vanished, "Hey, you're bleeding." Isaac looked down and saw a cut on his hand from where the rock had torn his flesh. Suddenly Scott's hands were on Isaacs' and Isaac snatched his hand away from Scott. "I-I'm fine," he said quietly and looked down. Scott's eyebrows furrowed a little and he noticed that up close, this guy had thin lines running down the side of his neck, like someone had scratched him. "I'm… uh… I'm Scott," Scott said, trying to change the conversation and Isaac glanced at him. "Isaac," he said and Scott smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Isaac. I'm sorry that I surprised you," he said and Isaac looked up at him.

The look that Isaac gave him made Scott wonder if Isaac had ever been apologized to in his life. "It's a little warm to be wearing jeans and long sleeved… well anything, isn't it?" Scott said jokingly and Isaac automatically looked down. "Skin condition," he said and in the back of his mind, Scott knew he was lying. "Ah, okay," Scott said and then remembered why he was here. "My mum invited everyone from the block to a house warming party," Scott said and took out an envelope from his pocket. He motioned to hand it to Isaac, but Isaac quickly shook his head. "Knock on the door, give it to my dad," Isaac said and Scott gave him a confused look. "Please…" Isaac said, voice trembling a little and Scott realized that Isaac was holding back tears. "Alright, Isaac," Scott said and got up, but not before he touched Isaac's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

And Scott could feel bone where muscle should be.

Scott walked up to the front door and as he reached to knock on the door, he hesitated when he saw a folded up blanket at the corner of the porch. As the question was forming in his head, the door opened, making Scott jump a little. In front of him stood a man that was a little taller to Scott, but what had made Scott jump was the fact that the man was the most intimidating person he had ever seen before. He was thin, but had a full head of hair and Scott was pretty sure that he was a heck of a lot stronger than he looked. "Yes?" the man said, his voice friendly, but laced with venom and questions. _Who are you, what do you want, was that you with my son, he's mine, he's dirt, what right do you have, who are you, boy, little boy, what do you want. _Scott could practically hear the man's thought's.

"H-Hi, sir," Scott said and held out his hand to which the man took and shook. Scott flinched internally at the strength of this man and forced himself not to rub his hand when he let go. "I'm Scott McCall. I just moved into that house and my mum and I are inviting everyone from the block to a house warming party," Scott said and handed the envelope to the man. He took it, opened it and read it and after a minute's pondering, he looked up and smiled at Scott. "I'd be honoured to come," he said, "And you can call me Mr. Lahey, Scott." Scott nodded and before Mr. Lahey closed the door, Scott realized that he had only said he would come. "Uh, Mr. Lahey?" Scott said and Mr. Lahey stopped and opened the door a little. "Yes, Scott?" he said and Scott swallowed a little. There was something off about this man. "You said you would come, what about Isaac? He's your son rig-…" Scott said but didn't finish.

The look of fury at the mention of Isaac's name made Scott shut up then and there. "Boy you're new to this town," Mr. Lahey said and stepped out of his house and into the porch, "There's a lot you don't know about this town, alright? There's a lot you don't know about its people. You'd better not make enemies of the wrong people, you hear?" Mr. Lahey said and Scott stepped back. "Y-Yeah," Scott said, fear suddenly clutching at him, "I'm sorry Mr. Lahey." Mr. Lahey smiled what Scott thought was supposed to be a soothing smile, but it just made him look psychotic. "That's alright boy, now run along and tell your mama that I'll be coming for this get together, eh?" Mr. Lahey said and Scott nodded and turned to leave as fast as he could.

Isaac had been watching the exchange and when Scott turned to leave, he looked down, not meeting Scott's eye. "See you, Isaac," Scott said and walked off and didn't look back until he reached his own garden. But when Scott looked back, his heart fell and for some reason, his anger seared at what he saw.

Mr. Lahey punching Isaac straight across the face.

"Mum?" Scott said at the dinner table later that night. His mother, Melissa McCall was a new nurse at Beacon Hills Hospital and was the most intelligent person that Scott knew and whether he would ever admit it or not, she was the one that he would always relies on for a word from the wise. "Hmm?" she said, looking up from her pizza. Scott considered what he was about to say and Mrs. McCall rolled her eyes. "Easy way or hard way, the honest way's the best way, Scott," she said and Scott looked up at her and put down the slice of pizza he was holding.

"What if you knew someone and that someone was being abused by someone else?" Scott said and Mrs. McCall's lips grew thin as her eyebrows drew together. "Who are you talking about, Scott?" she asked, but Scott shook his head and Mrs. McCall knew that she wouldn't get it out of him, so she sighed and thought about it. "Well, how about talking to this someone's parents about the abuse?" she asked and Scott's eyes darkened a little and Mrs. McCall's eyes widened. "Scott who is it?" she asked but Scott shook his head again and looked down.

"Young man, this isn't some small thing like he stole my toys," Mrs. McCall said, hating how authoritarian she sounded, "This is abuse and the things I could tell you about the people that I've seen that have gone through it would make your hair stand. Now, please tell me who it is so I can help." Scott looked at his mother, searching her and he remembered some of the things his mother had told him about the mental institution she had worked in for a while. "I can't tell you who it is, mum," he said, "Because I'm not sure that abuse is even the word to use here." Mrs. McCall sighed and ran her hand through her long brunette hair. "Be careful, Scott," she said, knowing that her son wasn't going to give this up, whatever it was, "People can be worse than animals sometimes."

The next day, Scott pulled up on his bike a Beacon Hill's High with dinosaurs raging in his stomach. New school, new people, new teachers... new kid. He chained his bike to one of the bicycle rails and heaved a sigh before he trudged up the school stairs to the office.

As he waited for the secretary to give him his timetable, Scott was decidedly bored. The bland walls and the endless noise of students all meshed together and soon he found himself dreaming a little until he heard a shout from the corridor. "Hey Lahey!" came a voice and saw some jocks pass the office by. _Lahey… Isaac?_ Scott thought to himself and got up curiously. He poked his head around the corner and was aghast by what he saw.

Isaac had been pinned to the lockers by one of the jocks and the rest of them had crowded around him. They were jeering at him, calling him ridiculous things and shoving, pushing, slapping him on the head and then one of them knocked Isaac to the ground and they laughed at him. But what was the worst thing was that no one tried to help Isaac; no one even looked at him.

"Don't," came a voice from beside Scott and Scott turned to see a guy looking at Isaac sadly and put a hand on Scott's shoulder and pushed him into the office. "C'mon," he said and smiled at secretary. "I'll take those, my lovely," he said and the secretary shook her head at the boy. "You think you're such a sweet talker, Stiles Stilinski," she said chidingly, but Scott could see that she liked the compliment nevertheless. The guy, Stiles, went over to Scott and handed him s timetable. "I'm Stiles," he said and held out his hand which Scott shook, "And you're Scott McCall." "Oh, yeah, sorry," Scott said and shook himself before standing up, "I'm Scott McCall." Stiles seemed to size Scott up before he bit his lip and smirked, "I'll show you around huh?" he said, but Scott merely nodded.

When they got out of the office, Scott immediately turned to where Isaac had been laying, but he wasn't there anymore. Stiles itched up his backpack and sighed, "C'mon, man," he said and Scott begrudgingly followed him. Stiles explained where everything was, the labs, the toilets, the best places to cut class, but Scott was only half listening to him. "Scott! Hey, Earth to Scott!" Stiles said and Scott's train of thought derailed and he looked up at Stiles. "Sorry, was thinking about something," Scott said and Stiles nodded his head.

"Stiles!" called a girl and she came trotting over and planted a kiss on Stiles' cheek. "Hey, Lydia," Stiles said and put an arm around the girl. She had strawberry blonde hair and intelligent eyes that currently seemed to be assessing Scott. "Who's your friend, Stiles?" she asked and Stiles introduced them. "Scott McCall, meet my long suffering girlfriend, Lydia Martin," he said and Lydia shook Scott's hand. "Hi," she said and Scott gave her a smile and a nod. "Scott saw Isaac this morning," Stiles explained and Lydia's smile fell a little.

"Oh," she said and Scott's interest was piqued. "You know Isaac?" he asked and Stiles and Lydia exchanged a look before they looked back, Stiles opening his mouth to say something, but after a few seconds, Lydia stepped in. "Everyone knows Isaac," she said and flipped her hair to the side, "Most of us have known each other since we were in diapers. Beacon Hills isn't as big as some people make it seem." "Then…" Scott said, getting more confused by the minute, "Why does no one help him when he's obviously having the life bullied out of him. Why doesn't anyone even look at him?" But just then, the bell rang, saving Stiles and Lydia from an explanation. "Oh, dude, we've got all the same classes," Stiles said, looking at Scott's timetable and grinned at him, "C'mon."

Isaac had seen Scott that morning and he had seen Stiles Stilinski push Scott back into the principal's office and all Isaac could think was, "Good." It was good that Stiles had got to Scott before anyone else had. It was good that Scott met Stiles before anyone else. Isaac knew that Stiles was a good person. He knew that because Stiles had tried to help Isaac once, but had failed to do so. Isaac knew that Stiles was a good person and maybe Scott would make good friends in Beacon Hills. Isaac thought all this as he washed blood from under his nose and looks at himself in the face. The punch that his father had given him had darkened his right eye a little and now that he had a bloody nose, he looked like a regular delinquent. Isaac threw the tissues that he used and took his backpack from where it stood in the corner. He had waited for the bell to ring to use the toilet, for fear of them finding him here and had been relieved to find the toilets mercifully empty.

Isaac jogged to class, easily ignoring the sting that was biting at his ribs from where one of them had kicked Isaac and when he got into the class; his heart skipped a few beat. Obviously Scott would be in this class of all classes. Obviously Scott would be sitting right next to the only empty seat in the classroom. Obviously this was going to happen because Isaac just never caught a break when it came to things like this. He saw Scott look up from his notebook and do a double take. He saw Scott's mouth open slightly before a smile replaced it. He saw that stupid idiotic boy smile so perfectly and Isaac knew he was gone.

"Today would be good, Isaac," Mr. Harris said and Isaac glanced at his teacher and hurried to his seat. From the back of the class Stiles slapped himself on the forehead and Lydia moved herself uncomfortably. "Stiles, Scott still doesn't know," Lydia said and Stiles looked over at her. "I know, I don't know what to do," he said just as Scott looked over at Isaac and said hi to him.

"Hello, Scott," Isaac said softly and took out his notebook. "You doing okay, Isaac?" Scott asked and Isaac glanced at him, nodded once and then nodded to the teacher, indicating that he wanted to listen. This was a lie of course. Scott didn't give up and leaned in closer to Isaac, a few students noticed this and suddenly there was the sound of clicks of phone keypads and nods in Scott's direction. "Isaac, are you okay? I mean really okay?" Scott asked with a concerned voice and Isaac looked at Scott; really looked at him.

Isaac was afraid of Scott's concern. He didn't understand why someone was asking these things. What did Scott want? Did he really mean what he was saying? Was he concerned? All these thoughts were zooming through Isaac's mind and then suddenly a voice rang out as clear as day in Isaac's mind. _You're nothing. No one. Dirt. Worse that dirt. No one cares. No one loves you. No one ever will. You're not even worth that. No one will ever care about you. _Tears began to form in Isaac's eyes and he gave Scott a quick nod before he practically buried his head in his notebook, writing furiously even thought the lesson had just started.

Throughout the lesson, Scott kept thinking of something, anything to say to Isaac to get him out of that notebook of his, but it was to no avail. So when the school bell rang and Scott was practically hauled out of the room by Stiles, he was decidedly ticked off. "What the hell, Stiles?" Scott said when Stiles had let go of him and Lydia had caught up with them. "Scott, there are some things about Isaac Lahey that we have to explain to you," Lydia said and Stiles motioned to the stairs, "Follow us," he said and Scott followed them to the roof of the school.

Up here, they had a three hundred and sixty degree view of the school grounds and the grounds filled a little with students enjoying their lunches in the sunshine. "So you got me up here," Scott said and turned to Stiles and Lydia, "What are these things I need to know?" Stiles sighed and sat down on the school ledge and Lydia stood next to him, arms folded around her stomach.

"Okay here goes," Stiles said and heaved a sigh before he began, "See, the Lahey's were a good family. White picket fence, won the apple pie of the year trophy and all that. They were a good family and everyone loved them all. But then when Isaac was seven, his mum died in an accident and Mr. Lahey lost it. He went a little… a lot depressed and well, no one knows when exactly, but he started hitting Isaac and Isaac's older brother. Then when his brother was old enough, he left home and joined the army and Isaac was left alone. It got better for a while, but then when Mr. Lahey got news one day that his son had been killed in action, he really lost it. He started drinking way more than anyone should be drinking and he beat Isaac more than ever. It's never stopped and now he does it for the heck of it, even if Isaac didn't do anything… which is the case most of the time."

Stiles looked at Scott who was looking down at the ground. "Why didn't anyone try to help?" Scott asked and looked at Stiles, but it was Lydia that answered. "People tried, Scott. A whole group of people tried, including my mother and Stiles' father. But Mr. Lahey has connections everywhere and his influence goes far. So even when we tried to help, help either never came, or horrible things were done to Isaac. That's why no one dares talk to him. It's not because of anything else but fear. Because Mr. Lahey has done things to others that have tried to help Isaac and believe me it has never been good. That's why so many people have grown to hate Isaac."

Scott turned away from them and walked slowly towards the side of the roof that overlooked the school field. Never in his life had he heard of something like this. Something so… horrible. His heart ached and a million words were raging in his head, Stiles and Lydia's words churning in his mind. Lydia looked at Stiles and he stood up and went over to Scott. He put a hand on Scott's shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly. "You mean well, Scott. But you trying to help will only make things worse than they already are," Stiles said and there was something about the way that Stiles said that drove Scott to the edge of tears.

"Isaac…" Scott said and looked down a little and he felt like his breath was punch out of him. Isaac was beside the bleachers. Isaac was beside the bleachers on the ground. Isaac was beside the bleachers, on the ground and the jocks were beating him.

Scott flew down the stairs and ran through the corridors, passing people and paying no attention to Stiles' shouts for him to stop. Scott burst out of the school doors and bolted for the field. When he got there, he skidded to a stop when he saw Isaac lying there in a heap, still covering his head with his arms, body curled into a fetal position. "Isaac," Scott said, going down onto his knees and gently touching Isaac's shoulder. "I-…I'm sorry," Isaac whispered from behind his hands and Scott had to fight to keep his anger down. "Shh, Isaac don't," he said, but Isaac still didn't move. Scott looked at Stiles who was flushed and Stiles shook his head, but Scott set his jaw and looked back at Isaac's form.

"Hey, Isaac, you mind letting me see those eyes of yours?" Scott asked, slowly putting his hands on Isaac's forearms and very carefully opening them a little. Behind his arms, Isaac had tear tracks and dirt on his face. He has his eyes closed and his body was still tense, but Scott thanked his lucky stars that his mother had taught him how to treat people in shock. "Hey, Isaac, it's just me here, okay? Just Scott," Scott said softly, hands still gently opening Isaac's arms, "You remember me right? We met in the garden and I scared you?"

Isaac slowly opened his eyes and looked up at Scott. It was Scott, it really was. It wasn't his imagination, it wasn't a dream. He was in too much pain for this to be a dream. "S-Scott…?" Isaac whispered and Scott smiled at him. "Yeah, yeah, Isaac, it's me," he said and let go of Isaac's arms. "You sh-should go h-home," Isaac said hoarsely, but Scott ignored that. "Isaac, I'm going to ask you to move a little alright? Can you do that for me?" Scott asked and after a few seconds, Isaac nodded. "Alright, here," Scott said and lifted Isaac's head a little and Scott moved his legs under Isaac's head so that Isaac's head was resting on Scott's lap. Isaac tried not to cry anymore from the pain, but it did hurt to move, but he'd endured way worse than a little beat up like this.

"S-Scott, I'm fine," Isaac said as Stiles came over and handed Scott a pocket torch to which Scott didn't question. "You're fine when I say you're fine, alright?" Scott said and Isaac automatically answered, "Yes, sir." Scott stopped examining Isaac and looked at him, realizing that he probably shouldn't have said that. Isaac was still looking at him, but without emotion anymore, like he had wiped himself clean of everything. Scott slapped himself on the face internally and moved turned off the torch, satisfied that there wasn't a concussion and that Isaac's injuries were not as bad as he thought they would be. "Are you okay to go home by yourself?" Scott asked and Isaac quickly nodded his head.

Scott and Stiles helped Isaac to his feet and even though his whole body hurt, Isaac got his backpack and thanked Scott and Stiles for helping him before he walked away, his body still bent a little, obviously in pain. Scott and Stiles watched him walk away and Stiles looked at Scott and recognized that look on Scott's face.

As Isaac walked away from the Scott and Stiles, he surreptitiously held on to his rib that was hurting badly. He knew that Stiles would talk Scott out of whatever he saw in Scott's eyes. That want to help him. He knew that look well, and it had never ended positively.

"Please don't do this, Scott," Isaac said quietly the same time Scott said, "I'm going to stop this, one way or another."


	3. Chapter 2: Angels Smiling Down On You

**Chapter 2: Angels Smiling Down On You**

Isaac had to keep alive somehow. He didn't dare ask his father for money for fear of what exactly his father would do to him if he asked. So he had managed to get work in a local diner owned by a kind man named Mr. Jeffery and he worked in the gardens around people's houses. People helped in any way they could to help Isaac and this, unfortunately, was the only way they seemed to be able to help him.

So this is what he did, as Scott found out from asking around and observing Isaac for two weeks. It was always the same thing: school, work, home, school, work, home, school, work, home, school, work, home, school, work, home, … the endless cycle of routine. Routine, routine, routine, even that word seemed so routine. Beat down at school, whispered about at work, thrown around at home.

What a life, what a perfect life. Scott wanted so much to help Isaac, to lend him money, or give him his bed to sleep in, or… food. Scott noticed that the only time Isaac ate was the two slices of bread that his father basically threw at him every two days. He didn't buy food in school and barely ate anything in the diner, only accepting food when Mr. Jeffery got wind that he hadn't eaten in a while. But Scott kept his distance, not letting Isaac know he was there, not letting Isaac see him; not letting Isaac see Scott's anger, his pain, his want to help Isaac. But there was one thing that Scott wondered: What was Isaac doing with the money he was getting?

One day he got his answer. It was the end of the month and Scott guessed that it was pay day because of the extra happy looks from the employees of the diner. Yet Scott just went about his business, bussing tables and cleaning the floors as he always did. Scott was well hid behind a hoodie, sunglasses and a thick novel, but he saw everything that happened.

Mr. Jeffery called Isaac into his office at the back of the diner and fifteen minutes later, he and Isaac walked out and Mr. Jeffery hugged Isaac before smiling at the boy and Scott swore that he saw Isaac wipe a tear away from his eye before he turned and left the diner. Scott quickly paid for his bill and was a little startled when Mr. Jeffery himself came to hand him his change. "You better not be planning on hurting Isaac, young man," he said and Scott looked up at him, taking off his sunglasses. "I wouldn't even dream of that, sir," Scott said and Mr. Jeffery seemed to size him up before he huffed and began walking away.

Scott bolted out of the door and saw Isaac disappear around the corner. Scott pulled his hoodie lower around him and put on his sunglasses again, despite the fact that there was barely any sun out and followed Isaac at a good distance. First Isaac went back to his home and took out a wad of money that Scott guess was from Mr. Jeffery. He took out four fifty dollar notes and put it in his pocket. And then Scott was horrified when Isaac knocked on the front door and when his father answered the door, Isaac handed him the wad of money. Mr. Lahey took the money and slammed the door in Isaac's face, causing Isaac to recoil a little and look down, a sign of submission that Scott had noticed Isaac did when there was something or someone that Isaac regarded as a higher authority.

Isaac stood there for a few more seconds before he turned and began walking again, this time going to the florist and when he was inside the shop, Scott saw the lady behind the counter give Isaac a friendly smile and asked him to wait a moment while she went to the back of the shop. She came back out with a beautiful bunch of roses, ten of them tied with a silver string. Isaac looked at them and Scott was hit right in the heart at the look of wonder on Isaac's face as he smiled the first smile Scott had seen. Isaac put his hand in his pocket to give the woman money, but she pointed to his pocket and then to him, obviously chastising him and after a few moments, Scott saw Isaac sigh heavily and thank the lady, taking the roses and exiting the shop.

Isaac began walking again, this time taking a few unknown roads that began to lead out of the town. "Where are you going?" Scott said under his breath as Isaac walked through the gates of Beacon Hills cemetery. Isaac seemed to know where he was going and made his way through the headstones, finally stopping at a white marble one with wilted roses in front of it. Isaac knelt down in front of the tombstone and changed the flowers around before he wiped away the bits of dirt and leaves that had stuck onto the headstone. He then sat down in front of the headstone and looked down at his hands.

Scott crouched down by another headstone a few rows behind Isaac, and one would think that he wouldn't be able to hear anything, but luckily there was no one else around and there wasn't any breeze, so Scott head every word of Isaac's careful words, his voice so soft and child-like almost.

"It wasn't always like. It wasn't always fear and cold. It wasn't always waiting for the next blow. It wasn't always so painful. We were happy once, we were alive once. But everything changed. Once you died, h-he turned on me. Once he changed, they turned on me. Once they turned on me… I… I turned inward on myself."

"I was seven when you died, mum. I was seven when everything changed. Dad… well he changed. He started drinking more than usual. He couldn't control himself. I… I d-don't blame you, mum; I'm just telling you. I don't know what happened, wh-what snapped, what changed. I just know that everything was because of me. I'm sorry I killed you, I'm sorry you had to die. Dad says that it's my fault, I just don't know why. Every time I ask him, he gets angry and he… so I stopped asking."

"Remember I told you that I had to get another job? Yeah, I got one gardening in a few houses. Remember when you showed me how to do it? I haven't forgotten anything, I still talk to the buds in springtime and I still put that special mix you taught me to do. I don't mind the work, it's just that I find it hard to keep up with my schoolwork. Dad tells me that I'm too dumb to continue studying, but… I don't know, maybe I'm wrong, but my teachers tell me I'm smart. I don't think he accepts that… I don't know, maybe he's right."

"Don't get me wrong, I know how to juggle my homework and two jobs, but sometimes I just get tired I suppose. I just need to sleep sometimes, and… well, he's been kicking me out a lot more lately. I've found a few places that's safe for me to get some rest, well that includes here. I feel safe here, e-even if the caretaker comes and asks me to leave in the morning, but I think he's secretly okay with me coming here."

"It's funny that I'm here talking to you right now, I know what you would say. _"Go and enjoy yourself, darling_,_" _you would say, well, I am. I'm enjoying myself right now. I love it that at least I can do something I want to right now. I like sitting here with you, talking about all these things. I hope you don't mind that I'm going to lean on your headstone, my back's just a little sore." Scott had to scramble back to where he was because he had been leaning forward too much and as Isaac turned around and leaned back on his mother's headstone, Scott turned around at the gravestone he was at and listened, silently letting tears fall onto his hoodie.

"…The bullying in school got worse. But hey, at least I'm still alive, right? I heard that some kids actually take their lives from bullying. I wonder how people can be so cruel to others, but then you always taught me that people, most of the time, are just scared and they lash out at others. It's… Well, at least it was me and not someone else. At least it was just me in the school getting it. I think the bullies like me because I… Because I'm different, because of… dad, I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm just lucky."

"Going through public school with a single, alcoholic parent is tough. The names they call you, the ways that they can bend you; it's hard… but well I get by. I think the worst thing that they do is the beating, but… it wasn't as embarrassing as when they come into the diner. You know the diner, the one that I work at. They found out that I'm working there and they… they come in and purposely sit my section and they would order all this food and just stand up and leave without paying or eating it."

"It was bad at first. It was very bad when I had to pay for the food. I know that Mr. Jeffrey would have paid for the food, but it was my section and I was going to take responsibility for it. Like Dad taught me, "always take responsibility for what is yours." But having to pay for the food, it was difficult for a while after that. Mr. Jeffrey took charge when they came in the next time, but Dad… he was angry that I couldn't give him money that month. But I gave him my money, so that was okay."

"I just don't know why they don't like me so much. I think that's one of the things that will never be explained. I guess it's just one of those things."

"Remember I told you about that boy, Scott McCall? The boy that helped me when they came for me a few weeks ago? He's… He's been following me around for the last two weeks. I think he's trying to find out something about me." Scott opened his eyes and felt his blood freeze. Isaac knew. "In fact, mum, he's behind that headstone over there," Isaac said and Scott wiped the tear tracks from his eyes and got up slowly. Isaac smiled at Scott and leaned forward from the headstone. "Hello, Scott," Isaac said with his quiet voice and Scott fumbled a little. "I didn… I… I'm sorry, Isaac," he said, but Isaac just shook his head. "It's alright, Scott, I know you were just curious," Isaac said and gestured to the ground in front of him, "Would you like to sit down?"

Scott gulped and went over to Isaac, sitting down in front of him and realizing that he was blushing a little less that a tomato. Isaac looked at the headstone and then at Scott, saying, "Mum, meet Scott McCall." Scott looked at the headstone and smiled awkwardly at it. "Hey Mrs. Lahey," he said and Isaac smiled at him. Scott could get used to that smile of his.

They sat and for half an hour, Isaac talked to his mother about how Scott had come up to him and introduced himself and about how Scott had taken care of him when Scott had found Isaac on the ground. And all Scott could do was sit there and try not to die of embarrassment, but at the same time feel a rush of pride and love towards Isaac. How much he had suffered at the hands of other people, yet how much he could love someone. Scott could see it all when he spoke to his mother. Scott saw Isaac full of life, the tiredness wiped away from his face and the Scott saw how graceful and quietly courageous Isaac is.

But Scott's train of thought came to a sudden halt when he heard Scott say, "I… I better go now okay? I think I should be getting home. Dad… would want me home now." Scott heard a hint of fear in Isaac's voice and he automatically got up and went around Isaac, getting down on his knees behind Isaac and hugging him close to his chest. Isaac tensed for a minute, but relaxed and carefully put his hands on Scott's arms.

"You know, mum. I think I finally found something that makes waking up in the morning worthwhile," Isaac said and Scott let go of Isaac, shocked by what he has said. Isaac turned around, suddenly tense again and looked at Scott with fearful eyes. "I-I'm sorry, S-Scott," Isaac stuttered, backing up a little, "I-I didn't mean it, I'm s-sorry." But Scott just smiled at him, breathless, knowing that he had finally gotten through to Isaac. "Do you really mean what you said?" he asked Isaac, and after a few seconds, Isaac put down his head and nodded.

Isaac expected a hit, he expected Scott's disgust, but he was completely thrown off when he was bowled to the ground by Scott's hug, an embrace that Isaac had dreamt about for so long. Isaac hugged Scott, feeling Scott's body beneath the fabric of his hoodie, smelling the scent of Scott, like pine and musk. Scott held on to Isaac, his broken, fragile body, his love and kindness, his whole being; savoring the memory of the sound of Isaac's words.

This boy, this perfect smile, this mind full of hope. Isaac wondered why Scott was showing him such affection. He wondered why Scott cared, why Scott even looked his way.

Scott let go of Isaac and carefully pulled him to his feet. "Isaac, will you let me take care of you?" Scott asked, looking at Isaac, hoping that Isaac would say the word he wanted to hear so badly. Isaac looked into Isaac's eyes, but he couldn't see any of the hate or secrets that most people hide. He couldn't see the apprehension or the disgust anywhere in Scott, and Isaac couldn't help but whisper, "Yes." Scott beamed at him. A smile so happy that Isaac couldn't help but tear up a little. Scott held Isaac and Isaac wrapped his arms around Scott's body.

As they walked away from Isaac's mother's grave after they had said their goodbye's to Mrs. Lahey, somewhere in Heaven Mrs. Lahey looked down on her son walking away with a boy whose soul was as pure as light itself. She smiled at Isaac, finally seeing the love in his eyes again.

"_You're free, my son."_


	4. Chapter 3: Bonds Of Blood

**Chapter 3: Bonds Of Blood**

It was a widely known fact that Isaac Lahey was the boy that was out of bounds for anyone in Beacon Hills. So when people noticed "that McCall boy" hanging around him, people began to worry.

It was a valid worry; as many people had tried to help Isaac but had cause such pain to the boy because of his father that they had given up. But there was something different about Scott; that much they could see. There was something about that boy that was different in te way that he tried to help Isaac. Mrs. Mulligan, a lovely lady that stayed a few doors down from Isaac that had tried to give Isaac food a few times when he was growing up had once seen Scott taking Isaac by the hand and leading him away from the house at night. Since she knew that Lahey Sr. would be probably drunk and passed out somewhere in the house, she couldn't help but feel her heart swell in admiration for Scott.

Even the local church council that had once tried to get Isaac out of the care of Mr. Lahey agreed that Scott had been a tremendous help to Isaac because now, from the boy that never looked anyone in the eye, Isaac was beginning to glance at people more, and many of the ladies on the council also agreed, albeit in secret, that Scott had beautiful eyes.

Soon, the story of Scott McCall and how he was changing Isaac Lahey was spreading like wildfire, but Mr. Lahey himself never got wind of it. The elders of the town know how to protect their boy and protect him, they did. Even at school, teachers now stood up for Isaac and most if not all of the people that used to pick on him had stopped, some even trying to extend the hand of friendship to him. Stiles and Lydia had even begun hanging out with Isaac, helping him to understand that there was nothing to fear with people anymore, that he was safe with them and with Scott.

But Isaac still felt apprehensive sometimes, still jumping at loud sounds and still speaking quietly if none at all. He still barely ate anything, telling Scott that he couldn't eat a lot anyway, because of the fact that his stomach wouldn't accept that much food. Isaac had put on a bit of weight and Scott was happy about that, because at least when Scott touched Isaac's arm or shoulder, he could feel a bit more meat under the fabric of Isaac shirt.

This all happened in the space of two months, but in that time, Isaac still endured the constant beatings, the name-calling and worst of all, his father had realized that Isaac was gaining more weight and had begun to feed him less. But Isaac took all this into stride, never complaining, even when he was in pain. He never went to Scott for help, never showed any form of pain when he began to sit in the cafeteria with Stiles and Lydia. But only Scott knew how much of pain Isaac was in. which was why when Scott was with him, he never let Isaac out of his sight. Because Scott knew what had happened.

It was more degrading than shouting names at Isaac in public. It was more painful that beating Isaac with belts and fists. It was more humiliating than anything that Isaac had ever been faced with. Because what Scott didn't know, what Stiles and Lydia didn't know, what no one knew or suspected, was that Mr. Lahey HAD found out about Scott's help; that Mr. Lahey had found out about how this boy that had just moved into Beacon Hills dared to associate himself with his son.

Mr. Lahey never missed a beat from Scott. He knew that Scott had been giving Isaac meals, that Scott had taken Isaac away a few nights to spend the night in Scott's house, Isaac returning before the sun was up. He knew that many people that had tried to help Isaac were now beginning to hope that maybe, just maybe the drunk old Mr. Lahey had finally met his match. Mr. Lahey was furious, seething with anger and because of Scott, Isaac had forced his hand.

It was night time when Isaac had come back from finishing gardening Mr. Smith's house, Mr. Lahey was standing at the front door, smoking a cigarette and looking outside. Isaac glanced at him and said a quiet hello to his father. Mr. Lahey didn't respond to that and Isaac didn't know whether or not he could go and wash up. The answer had been a no.

"Isaac," Mr. Lahey said and blew out a puff of smoke, still not looking at Isaac. "Yes, dad?" Isaac said, standing near the stairs leading up to the house, hearing from the tone of his father's voice that there was something coming for him. "Isaac, tell me something," his father said and took another drag of his cigarette, "You and Scott fucking each other yet?" Isaac felt the sky crash and everything in the world die, including himself as his father finally looked at him. Isaac was paralyzed by that look and his father flicked the cigarette out of his hand and blew out the smoke. "C'mon, _son_, you can tell your old man, can't you?" Mr. Lahey said, taking a step towards his son. He grabbed Isaac's hair and pulled, making Isaac look up at him. He held Isaac's jaw in one hand and pressed painfully into Isaac's flesh. "Tell your old man, Isaac," Mr. Lahey said and then dropped his voice down to a whisper that was so filled with poisonous anger and rage that Isaac thought that this would be the last time he saw anything, because his father might actually kill him now. "Do you like someone fucking you, Isaac?" his father whispered and then threw Isaac into the house with such a force that Isaac went sprawling across the living room floor.

Mr. Lahey slammed the door shut and Isaac groaned in pain, but before he could turn around, Mr. Lahey caught hold of Isaac's shirt and began dragging his son towards the kitchen. Isaac tried to fight, but he was still a little disorientated from the hit to the floor. And suddenly he was falling again, this time down a flight of stairs into darkness. Tears sprang into Isaac's eyes and he curled up into a ball, trying to stave off the pain, but he heard the boot falls coming down the stairs and realized that it was far from over.

Mr. Lahey dragged Isaac up from the corner he was in and slammed him against a wall. "You know, Isaac," Mr. Lahey said and grabbed something behind Isaac that he couldn't see, "Fucking men is a sin." Isaac tried to get himself out of the hold that his father had him in, but there was nothing he could do. He felt rough rope being tied around his hand and looked down to see his father trying his wrists together painfully. "D-Dad please…" Isaac began and Mr. Lahey hit him hard across the face. "Don't call me that you fucking bastard," Mr. Lahey shouted and grabbed Isaac's hands and raised it above his head, hooking it to a hook that had been put on the ceiling.

Isaac looked up and then to his father who was unbuckling his belt. "Dad, d-don't… D-daddy plea…se…" Isaac pleaded weakly, still not able to concentrate on anything much. "I told you," Isaac heard Mr. Lahey say, "To not," hit on the back, "Call," hit, "Me," Hit, "THAT!" HIT HIT HIT HIT. Isaac cried out, unable to move, his father hitting him with his belt so much that Isaac felt his skin tearing through his t-shirt. After what felt like an eternity, Mr. Lahey stopped and Isaac's shirt was streaked with blood. Mr. Lahey hadn't only hit him on the back, but on the front and anywhere he could reach.

Isaac was faced downward, tears still falling off the end of his nose, but he was silent, his body still jerking a little from the pain he was feeling. Mr. Lahey left the room and Isaac tried to look up, but his body wouldn't allow it. He was in so much of pain that he doubted that he would be able to go to school the next day. Isaac hung there and wondered if his father would beat him to death and then bury him somewhere in the garden. No, his father wouldn't go through all that trouble, Isaac thought, he would just dump my body in the lake on the outskirts of town. That way, all the evidence would be washed away and by the time they find the body, it would be pretty much decomposed already.

"Thinking about Scott, Isaac?" a voice came from beside him and Isaac didn't answer. He heard a clink of a bottle and smelled the aroma of whiskey. He couldn't see what his father was doing because he was so weak, but he heard a quiet gulping and knew that his father was drinking a measure of whiskey. "Ahhh," his father said, "Nothing like a little whiskey to whet the tongue." Then Isaac heard a curious sound, like a blade or scissors. Then he felt the fabric of his shirt being cut off and froze. _"Oh god," _he thought just before all his senses screamed and he found himself screaming too as he felt the alcohol running down his back and over the cuts. He screamed and his father hit him again, this time harder than before. "Don't even try, Isaac," Mr. Lahey said, "No one's going to come for you."

When the burning had died down a little, Isaac managed to look up at his father and saw nothing but a blank slate staring back at him. "D-…Dad…" Isaac said, "I…m S-s…sorr…y." His father smiled at him and took Isaac's chin in his hand again, this time more gently. "No you're not," he said and put down the bottle and let go off Isaac. "So you like taking it up the ass, right Isaac?" his father said and Isaac looked down again, shutting his eyes tightly and telling himself that this isn't happening. Then he felt hands on his jeans, taking them off and looked up again. This time his father had malice and hate in his eyes and Isaac truly began to fear for his life. He struggled against his father, adrenaline coursing through his veins suddenly, but his father ripped off his jeans anyway and slapped Isaac a few times.

Mr. Lahey walked to the side of the basement and brought out two heavy dumbbells. He set one on each side of Isaac and then got more rope to tie his son's feet to each of the dumbbells, holding Isaac in place. "Dad stop!" Isaac shouted as his boxers were removed and he was naked in front of his father. "There's nothing you have that I haven't seen before, Isaac," his father said and then did the most terrible thing a father could do to a son. He touched Isaac. He touched Isaac in places that no father ever should touch his son.

Isaac tried to fight against his father, but his body reacted anyway and when his father held Isaac's erection, Isaac looked at his father, humiliated and with tears pouring down his face. "Stop… Daddy please," he said through his tears, but Mr. Lahey was unhearing. "You really are a little faggot, aren't you?" Mr. Lahey said and then moved away from his son. Isaac sobbed, ashamed and degraded, humiliated and disgusted. And then he felt pain like no other.

He screamed and writhed in pain his body trying to get away from it but it was held in place. His wrists and ankles were being sliced by the rope, but he didn't feel a thing. Because Mr. Lahey was shoving something up Isaac's ass. Mr. Lahey was pushing something into his son without lubricant and it was so painful that Isaac's mind was blank.

"You like that, don't you Isaac?" his father said to him and pulled the thing out and pushed it in again, "You like the way that feels?" "STOP!" Isaac shouted and his father put his hand over his mouth, cutting off the sound… and then another hand on Isaac's hip and Isaac opened his eyes and felt like he was going to throw up. It was his father. His father was inside him.

Later, when it was over and Mr. Lahey had cut the ropes from his son's hands. Isaac was lying on the floor where his blood and semen streaked it and he was quietly crying. His father had gone upstairs, but had instructed Isaac to clear up his mess before he cleared out the house. Isaac lay there and felt like his father had taken the last thing from him. His father had violated him in ways that Isaac thought would never happen. But all the humiliation couldn't amount to the fact that Isaac had to wipe and scrub his own blood and semen from the floor.

Isaac found some clothes to wear from the laundry that was in the basement and painfully walked up the stairs of the basement. His legs were hurting and his wrists were still bleeding a little, but nothing compared to the pain that he felt in his anus. It was throbbing and it hurt every time he took a step, but he knew that he had to make it to Scott's house. Because he knew that he needed medical attention and there was no way he was going to make it to the hospital by himself. He got to the front door of his house and stumbled down the stairs of the porch then stopped. Isaac realized that there was nothing to support himself on from his porch, to Scott's house; that he would have to walk there unaided. The thought of it weakened his heart a little, but he knew he had to do this. So with the strength that he was amazed he still had, Isaac Lahey made his way across a road.


	5. Chapter 4: Mother Knows Best

**Chapter 4: Mother Knows Best**

Scott had been reading a novel in his living room when he heard the knock on the door. He looked up from his book to the clock on the wall which read 12:30AM. He sighed, not wanting to get up from the chair, but the second knock and the muffled thud outside got his attention. "Isaac!" Scott said and jumped out of the chair, rushing to the door. Just as he opened the door, his mother came down the stairs in her bathrobe and gasped as Scott shouted, "Isaac!" again and knelt down to the boy on the ground.

Scott saw that Isaac's shirt was covered in streaks of blood and his wrists were bleeding. Isaac was breathing heavily and had his eyes shut, but between gasps of pain, Scott head Isaac whisper, "H-Help…" Scott tried to put his arm under Isaac's legs to carry him, but stopped when Isaac cried out in pain. Then Scott saw the small patch of blood over the fabric of Isaac's pants. "Mum I need help," Scott said quickly and his mother, who was already dashing through the house to the medical kit she had stored in the kitchen shouted to him, "Take him upstairs, he needs a bed!"

Scott looked down at Isaac and gently put his hand on the back of Isaac's neck. "Zac, I have to carry you upstairs, alright?" Scott said urgently and Isaac looked up at him with tears and pain in his eyes, but nodded. Isaac turned a little and put his arms around Scott as Scott put an arm around Isaac's shoulders and another under his legs. When Scott lifted Isaac up, he felt Isaac's hands tighten and heard a small cry from Isaac and Scott felt his anger burn brighter. Whoever did this was going to pay.

Scott took careful steps up to his bedroom partly because he had to maneuver him and Isaac up a flight of stairs which had shoes and books flooding it and also because each step that he took, Isaac cringed a little. He was in a lot of pain and Scott was surprised that he hadn't passed out. He brought Isaac to his room and lay him on his bed gently and Isaac opened his eyes a little and turned his head painfully to Scott. Before Scott could do anything, his mother burst into the room and went over to Isaac. "Scott, get his clothes off," his mother said and when Isaac heard that, Scott saw his eye grow wide. Scott took Isaac's hand gently and Isaac looked at him. "We're going to help, okay Isaac?" Scott said gently and after a few seconds, Isaac nodded.

He allowed his shirt to be taken off him, albeit slowly and painfully as some of the blood had begun to scab and as his shirt came off, so did the scabs. Mrs. McCall gasped as she saw the bleeding cuts covering Isaac's body, but was horrified to find more and more cuts that were healed when she began wiping the blood away with cotton swabs. _"How long has this been happening to you, Isaac?" _she thought to herself and looked at the boy. He was in so much of pain, but when Scott took his hand and began to comfort him, Isaac calmed down a little and Mrs. McCall saw love taking over the boy's face. She was proud of Scott. She was proud of both Scott and Isaac. These were her boys and she'd protect them with her life.

"I have to check his…" Mrs. McCall said to Scott, nodding at Isaac's pants. Scott nodded and left Isaac's side. When Scott reached for Isaac's pants, Isaac made a grab for Scott's hand, but pain wracked his body and he gasped. Scott and his mother looked at each other for a second and she got up and left the room, saying quickly, "Not much time." Scott knelt down by Isaac and Isaac had tears running down his face. "S-Scott," Isaac said painfully and Scott took his hand again. "She has to, Isaac," Scott said softly, "You're bleeding and she has to check." Isaac looked down and Scott practically saw him closing in on himself. _"No, Isaac, no," _Scott thought as he heard Isaac mutter, "Okay, Scott."

Scott called his mother into the room and he slowly began taking off Isaac's pants. Even though his mother was there and Isaac was in pain, Scott's breath still hitched a little as he saw Isaac's full body. Mrs. McCall asked Isaac to turn on his side and Isaac did with a little help from Scott. When he was turned, Mrs. McCall put her hand on Isaac's shoulder and said softly, "Isaac honey, I'm going to have to check to see if you've ruptured anything alright?" Isaac nodded and Mrs. McCall gave his shoulder a squeeze before she looked at her son and mouthed the words, "This is going to hurt him." Scott inhaled and nodded to her before he looked at Isaac and put up a finger to his mother, asking her to wait a minute. Very carefully, Scott got into bed with Isaac, facing him. He put a hand under Isaac's head and Isaac immediately came to life again, looking up at Scott and Scott looked down at him. "I've got you, Isaac," Scott said and Isaac put his head against Scott's chest.

Scott looked at his mother and nodded. Mrs. McCall leaned down and Isaac hissed as she parted his legs. And then he cried out. Then he held onto Scott's shirt. The he bit down into the fabric of Scott's shirt and cried. Then he sobbed and then finally, after half an hour, Mrs. McCall told sat back, tired and sweating a little. "He's fine," she said and wiped her forehead. Scott sighed and looked down at Isaac. He was sweating a lot and his body was pale. "Mum?" Scott said and Mrs. McCall nodded. "I'll make him something, you get him cleaned up okay?" she said and Scott nodded gratefully at her. He slowly extracted himself from Isaac's body and went over to his mother to help her up. When she stood, he hugged her and she hugged him back. "Thank you," Scott said and Mrs. McCall let go of him and smiled at her son. She kissed him on his forehead and put her hand on his cheek. "Take care of him," she said left the room.

Scott went back to Isaac and as he crouched down next to Isaac, Isaac opened his eyes and looked at Scott with tired eyes. "Can I clean you up, Isaac?" Scott asked tentatively and Isaac nodded to him slowly. Scott went to his bathroom and got a washcloth and a pail of water and returned to Isaac's side. Slowly, Scott began wiping Isaac down, going over his cuts slowly and gently, rubbing away the sweat and the trickles of blood. "Isaac," Scott said softly and Isaac looked at him, "Who did this to you?" Isaac didn't answer him, just looked back up at the ceiling, eyes dead.

After Scott had gotten Isaac into a pair of his track pants and a shirt of his, Mrs. McCall came in with a bowl of hot soup and a few pieces of bread. She set it down on the bedside counter as Scott held Isaac's head up and put a few more pillows below Isaac's head to prop him up. Mrs. McCall sat down next to Isaac and Scott went around to the back of Isaac and sat there. Isaac looked up at Mrs. McCall and she smiled down at him. The she saw a tear roll down his cheeks and she set the soup aside. "Scott, go and wash up in my bathroom, would you?" she asked and Scott looked up at her. "But…" Scott began and she cut him off with a look. "Now," she said and Scott sighed and looked down at Isaac. "I'll be back, alright?" he said and Isaac glanced at him and nodded.

When Scott had left the room, Mrs. McCall looked back down at Isaac and when she began stroking Isaac's hair, Isaac began to cry silently. He cried for the pain, for the humiliation, for everything that had happened to him. He was so broken already and now everything was torn to a million pieces. But still, through all the hell that was plastered on his body, these people, these wonderful people were helping him. "Shh," Mrs. McCall said and wiped the tears away from his cheeks. "We'll get through this together, Isaac," she said, "The three of us." Isaac looked up at her and looked away. "I don't deserve this," he said and Mrs. McCall chuckled at him.

"Honey if you didn't deserve this, I don't know who does," she said and took a tissue and let him blow his nose. "You can tell us what happened when you're ready to tell us, okay?" she said and Isaac nodded, "But you have to eat something now. You need to get your strength back." Isaac nodded again and allowed her to feed him. The soup was delicious, wholesome and he sighed at the taste of it. Mrs. McCall's heart hurt for him, living without a mother or a friend until Scott came along. She couldn't even imagine what she would do if Scott was put in this position. "Isaac," she said when he finished the soup, "I'll write to the school tomorrow and tell them that you're taking the week off because of medical reasons." Isaac's eyes went wide, but before he could protest, she put up a hand. "Don't you dare say no, young man. You need to rest and you have to heal," she said with a mothers chastising voice. Just then Scott came back into the room and Isaac immediately turned to him and Scott came over and took Isaac's hand again.

"What about him, Mum?" he asked and Mrs. McCall narrowed her eyes at him. "Can't ask you to not eavesdrop can I?" she said and Scott smiled at her and she smiled too, "I'll go to the police and get them to watch the house, just for the week." Isaac's blood drained from his face. "M-Mrs. M-McCall," he said, finding his voice, "N-No…" She looked at him and took his other hand. "Isaac, honey, don't say no to me. I know when someone needs help and right now you need help," she said, "We're going to keep you safe at any cost, and there's not going to be another way about this."

"But…" Isaac said pleadingly. "No buts," Mrs. McCall said, "The things I've heard about you from the people at the hospital were enough to make my blood run cold and I'm not having you anywhere near that man as long as I have a say in it." Then she looked at Scott and put a hand on his cheek, "Scott loves you," she said and looked back at him, "And I love you too, Isaac. And us McCall's protect what we love."

"I'll never let you go, Isaac," Scott said and Isaac smiled at them. He looked at Mrs. McCall and squeezed her hand a little. "Thank you," he said hoarsely and she smiled at him. "You're my boy too, Isaac," she said and began to rise, "Now both of you go to sleep. And Isaac," she said and looked at him before she left the room, "Sleep, love."

She left Scott and Isaac together and closed the door behind her. She could hear Scott telling Isaac that he loved him and that things would be better, reassuring him all the time, but she knew that her son was reassuring himself too. All the things that her boy has had to go through, it made him such a strong person and now he was sharing that strength with someone else.

Mrs. McCall sighed and after she had washed the empty bowl and had gone to her room, she picked up the phone and dialed a number she knew well. "Hello?" a voice on the other line came and she smiled at the surprise in the voice on the other end.

"Derek?" she said, "It's Melissa here." There was a pause on the other line and a chuckle, "Hello, Mel," Derek said, "Never thought I would hear your voice again." Mrs. McCall smiled at the sound of her friend's voice. "Derek, I need a favour," she said and Derek heard the tiredness in her voice. "What's wrong, Melissa?" he asked.

"Scott and I need you, Derek," she said and she heard the sound of fabric moving. "What's wrong, Melissa?" Derek said seriously and Melissa looked over to a picture of him, her and a younger Scott standing in front of Hale's Self Defense Courts.

"Scott had a boyfriend, and he needs your help."


	6. Chapter 5: You Don't Mess

**Chapter 5: You Don't Mess With The McCall's**

The next morning, Mrs. McCall woke up a little earlier and made pancakes and a bowl of oatmeal for Isaac, knowing that he'd be hungry and he needed something wholesome to eat. She put everything on a tray, including some for Scott and went up to his room. But when she knocked on the door and opened it a crack, she stopped, feeling like she might intrude on something personal.

"Scott?" she called softly through the crack in the door. When there was no answer, she opened the door and her heartstrings pulled a little at what she saw. Scott was stretched out on his bed, turned towards Isaac who had his head buried against Scott's chest, arms entwined and obviously in a deep sleep. She smiled at her sons and went over to Scott's study table and placed the tray there. She tip-toed out of the room but before she closed the door, she heard Scott whisper softly, "M…um?"

She turned and looked at Scott who was squinting at her, head rising a little but she shushed him. "Go back to sleep, Scott," she whispered, "I'm going to work. There's breakfast there for you boys." She pointed at the study table then smiled at her son who nodded and went back to sleep, pressing himself more firmly against Isaac who automatically moved closer to him. Mrs. McCall closed the door and sighed, putting her forehead against the door for a moment.

Melissa McCall had been through a lot in her life. Scott's father walking out on them, raising Scott by herself while working and getting her nursing degree. It had been tough on the both of them, especially Scott while he was growing up, but she thought that she had brought him up right. He loved with a passion and she saw that for a fact. And she loved whatever he loved, so she would protect what he loved the way he protect her all these years.

She got ready for work but took a detour to Beacon Hills Police Station. When she got there, she asked to see the sheriff and was pleasantly surprised to find that he knew her. "Mrs. McCall right?" the sheriff said as she shook his hand. "Please, call me Melissa," she said with a smile and he nodded. "I'm Sheriff Stilinski," he said and offered her a seat in his office, "Could I get you anything, ma'am?" Mrs. McCall shook her head and he sat down behind his desk. "So what can I do for you?" he asked and she sighed at him. "Sheriff, do you know about Isaac Lahey?" she asked and she saw his smile falter for a moment before he looked down and twined his fingers together. "Everyone knows about Isaac, Melissa," he said, looking up at her at the same time. "Then could I ask you a favor?" she asked and he cocked an eyebrow in question.

"This got anything to do with your boy?" he asked and Mrs. McCall close her mouth that she was opening to say something. The sheriff smirked, "My son, Stiles, he's friends with Scott and he's known Isaac since childhood. He tried to help Isaac once, you know," he said and then swiveled his chair and got up. He made his way to a file cabinet, opened it and began searching for something. "He's a good kid, your son," he said and extracted a file from the cabinet as Mrs. McCall smiled to herself. "Yes he is," she said, pride filling her. The sheriff sat back down and put the file in front of him and looked at her, really looked at her. "Melissa, we're willing to protect Isaac and Scott, but you have to know that the risk of protecting that boy," he said and Mrs. McCall blinked at him.

"I never…" she began but he smiled and handed her the file. "I know that look," he said, "I had it once for Isaac too, but I wasn't able to do anything about it, that's why I worked so hard to become the sheriff, so that someone like you would come along and help him." Mrs. McCall grinned and shook her head. "It was all because of Scott," she said and the sheriff raised his eyebrows. "Well, thank Scott then," he said, "Stiles told me that they were close, but he didn't tell me how close. Isaac must trust Scott a lot to let him even come close to him." Mrs. McCall smiled wryly at the image of them together in bed and looked down at the file and her smiled slipped off her face. "Oh my god," she said and Sheriff Stilinski's face darkened.

"Mr. Lahey isn't someone you want to take lightly, Melissa," he said as Mrs. McCall looked at pictures of people battered and houses either burnt or smashed. "What… Is this?" she asked and looked up at the sheriff. "That is Lahey when he's angry," the sheriff said and looked at the upside-down pictures with a slight grimace, "No one has been able to arrest him properly because he always finds some way of weeding his way out from the law. And those people are victims of people that have tried to help Isaac over the years." Mrs. McCall looked away from the pictures, suddenly feeling sick. "I can't…" she said and looked at the sheriff, blinking away tears. "Sheriff Stilinski, Isaac Lahey needs help and Scott and I are going to provide that help. But I need your help to make sure that this his… father… doesn't get to him," she said.

The sheriff stood up and so did she. "Ma'am, you have the department's full cooperation," he said and shook her hand, but she was so grateful that she went around and gave him a hug. "Thank you," she said and let go of the sheriff who flushed slightly. "You're welcome, Mrs. McCall," he said suddenly formal and walked her to the front desk. He wrote down his personal number and handed it to her. "If you need anything," he said and she smiled and took it from him. "Thanks," she said and headed out of the police station. "Shut up," the sheriff said to his colleagues who were smirking at him.

When Mrs. McCall got into her car, she deflated, fear suddenly clutching at her. Those people that were in the file; their faces cut or bruised, their bodies cut and broken. She closed her eyes and forced herself to breathe evenly. If that man dared to touch Scott, he'd have Melissa McCall to deal with, and she wasn't someone you wanted to mess with when she was angry. She started her car and drove to the hospital where she worked.

Back at the McCall's residence, Isaac stirred a little which caused Scott to wake up. He looked at Isaac and smiled sleepily at him. "Mmmorning," he sighed and Isaac smiled and put an arm around Scott's back. "Morning," he said and closed his eyes in pain when he tried to move. Scott placed a hand on Isaac's hip, stilling him. "Don't," he said, "You're going to be sore for a while." Isaac grimaced and sighed after a moment. "I'm sorry, Scott," he said and looked up at Scott again, his eyes glistening with tears and Scott leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Don't apologize, Zac," he said and gently put a hand on Isaac's cheek, "You could never do anything to hurt me."

Isaac pushed his face into Scott's hand a little and Scott smiled; his heart swelling. "Hey you hungry?" he asked Isaac and Isaac stopped. He looked at Scott calculatingly and then he looked down. "I ate last night," he said, his voice suddenly monotonous. Scott's eyebrows knotted together and then he realized why. "Isaac," he said and slowly pushed Isaac's face up with his hand. Isaac looked up at him, eyes fearful and he said evenly, "Yes?" Scott leaned down and kissed Isaac on the lips, a chaste and warm kiss. "You don't ever have to work like that for your meals, you hear?" he said when he let go and looked Isaac in the eyes, "I'm going to take care of you, Isaac. I'm never going to stop."

Isaac just stared at him, thoughts of what his father had told him reeling through his mind. But then there was Scott pushing his fears aside. There was Scott reaching out and offering his hand to Isaac through all of the darkness that Isaac had lived through. Isaac leaned up and pressed his lips softly against Scott's. "I would like some breakfast," he said timidly when he pulled away and he swore he saw Scott light up like a Christmas tree. "Okay," he said and slowly got out of bed, careful not to jar it too much in case he caused Isaac pain.

He went over to the tray of food and brought it to the bed. Scott helped Isaac up into a semi-sitting position and when Isaac saw the plate that Scott put in front of him, pancakes and syrup and a whole bowl of oatmeal, he looked at Scott with his mouth slightly open. "I can't eat all of this," he said and Scott smirked at him. "Yes you can," he said and Isaac was completely surprised to find that what Scott said was through. He ploughed his way through the pancakes and practically drank the oatmeal down and once he was done, he sighed and leaned back against the pillows. "Woah," he said and Scott laughed. "Good huh?" he asked and Isaac nodded at him.

Scott smiled and set his own plate aside. "Okay, I'll go get these washed up then I'll get you washed up and me washed up and maybe we can watch a few movies?" he asked and Isaac blushed a little at him. Scott smirked and leaned in for a kiss. Isaac smiled and ducked his head shyly at him before he looked up slowly and they kissed. After a minute or two, Scott leaned up, breathing heavily. He pressed his forehead against Isaac and closed his eyes. "God, Isaac, you really need to know how you make me feel," he said and Isaac slowly put a hand on Scott's shoulder. "I think I do," he said and Scott pushed his head against Isaac's a little before he stood up, gathered the plates and left the room.

When he was alone, Isaac sighed and closed his eyes. He had forgotten what a bed felt like, what warmth and soft sheets felt like. But more importantly, he had forgotten what love felt like. All he had was the love in his memory of his mother, but now he had been shown a different kind of love from Scott and he would never let that go. It consumed him wholly and he loved the feeling.

"Having fun?" a voice came from beside him and Isaac froze. _"No," _he thought and opened his eyes. Because sitting by his beside was his father. "D-Dad…" he said Mr. Lahey smiled at him. "Gave me quite a scare there, boy," he said and he put a hand on Isaac's wrist… and squeezed. Isaac gasped and closed his eyes, the skin under the bandage on fire again. "You think you can hide here and everything will be fine?" he asked and the door opened, Scott coming in with two cups of what smelled like tea. "Isa-" he began with a smile but the cups fell and shattered when he saw Mr. Lahey in his room, holding Isaac who was in pain. "What the…" he began and in a flash, Mr. Lahey was out of the chair and coming straight for Scott.

Scott thanked his lucky stars that his mother's friend had taught him how to defend himself and when Mr. Lahey threw a punch, he parried it and aimed one for Mr. Lahey's gut. It connected and Mr. Lahey gave a satisfying grunt and he doubled over. Scott quickly ran to his room, grabbed his baseball bat that he kept handy for situations like this and held it up. "Get out of this house before I throw you out," he said to Mr. Lahey. Mr. Lahey stood up and growled at Scott before lunging at him again. This time, Scott made a stabbing gesture as Isaac shouted; "Scott!" and the bat buried itself in Mr. Lahey's face. He shouted and fell to the ground, blood pouring out of his nose.

Scott looked at Isaac and nodded to his hand phone next to the bed. "Isaac call the police and tell them that our house was broken in to," he said and Isaac looked at the phone and then back at Scott. "I-I don't know how to," he said, embarrassed by his words. Scott stopped and realization washed over him. "Okay," he said and went over to the phone. He dialed the number and gave it to Isaac. "Tell them," he said and went back to Mr. Lahey who lay moaning on the floor.

Ten minutes later, the police had arrived and Mr. Lahey was sitting in a police car, handcuffed and bleeding. Scott stood outside with Sheriff Stilinski and was talking to him when his mother's car swerved into view. She skidded to a halt and rushed out of the car to Scott. "Scott, oh my god," she said as she hugged him and Scott hugged her back. "I'm okay," he said and she let go of him. "Isaac?" she asked and he nodded to the door. She nodded and told Scott to go to Isaac. Scott nodded gratefully and shook the sheriff's hand. "Thank you," he said before he left and the sheriff nodded to him. "No, thank you," he said and Scott left, albeit a little confused as to why the sheriff was thanking him.

"Oh, god," Mrs. McCall said, putting a hand on her forehead and closing her eyes. "Don't worry, Melissa," Sheriff Stilinski said and put a hand on her shoulder, "Scott can obviously take care of himself and Isaac. It's apparent," he said and nodded towards the police car. Mrs. McCall looked at the care and she felt her worry being replaced by rage. "Is that him?" she said, her voice suddenly full of fire and poison and the sheriff, who was actually a little intimidated of her, nodded. Before he could protest, she was at the police car with the door open.

"You dare come into my house again and I'll break your neck myself, you hear?" she said to Mr. Lahey and he laughed at her. "Lady, you think you're gonna stop me?" he said sarcastically and Mrs. McCall slapped him on the face. "You touch my boys again and it'll be the last thing you do in your miserable life," she shouted and slammed the door shut on Mr. Lahey who had begun shouting curses at her.

"Well that felt good," she said as she walked back to the sheriff who was a little dumbstruck at her actions. "No one has ever stood up to him like that before," he said and Mrs. McCall laughed at that. "Really? Well I'm not no one," she said and he tipped his hat to her. "That you aren't, ma'am," he said and they smiled at each other.

"Alright, we'll set up surveillance around the house, day and night," he said and Mrs. McCall nodded gratefully. "Thank you," she said and he nodded. "Keep him safe," he told her and she nodded with a conviction. "I will," she said.

And that was the day Melissa McCall bought a handgun.


	7. Chapter 6: Fight For Your Love

**Chapter 6: Fight For Your Love**

Isaac and Scott woke up to the door being opened and a laugh of happiness from Mrs. McCall the next day. Scott rubbed his eyes and yawned as Isaac opened his eyes a crack, vision blurred by the sunlight. "Wh-ts g-going on?" Isaac said sleepily, the warmth of Scott's body making him feel so comfortable that he was falling back to sleep.

"Dunno," Scott said and put his arms around Isaac, holding him close and nuzzling into his hair, "Bed too comfortable." Isaac smiled and was just about to fall back into the sweet oblivion of Scott's touch when they heard a male laugh echo through the house. Scott opened his eyes and looked at the door, wondering who it was… because that laugh seemed familiar. Then it dawned on Scott and he told Isaac that he'd be back.

Scott quickly got out of bed and after making sure Isaac was tucked in good and proper, he ran down the stairs to see his mum and a man sitting at the kitchen table laughing at something. The man turned to Scott and his smile grew wider. "Scott!" he said rising from the table and Scott grinned and went over to him to give him a hug. "Derek!" he said as Derek hugged him tight, "It's been a long time, huh?" Derek let go and put a hand on his shoulder, "Too long, kid." They sat down at the table and Scott noticed that his mother was extra happy to see Derek. _"As per usual," _Scott thought to himself and smiled.

Derek Hale and the Hale family had been friends of the McCall's since Scott was a kid and although he was only a few years older than Scott, Scott felt like Derek was someone to be respected. A trainer of combat and a truly good person, Derek had seen the demise of his entire family in a terrible shooting that had occurred when they were out for a meal. Derek's mother had shielded her son and given her life to save him and Derek never forgot that.

Derek had tracked the gang that had killed his family down and had brought them to justice, earning a medal of bravery and in the process becoming one of the most recognizable faces in the United States. He was, by no means, a celebrity, but he still found it hard to make house calls once in a while; especially to the people he loved. Melissa, knowing him since she was a teenager, had helped him open his self defense center and had even picked up a few tricks from him in the process. They were close friends and now, in the McCall's hour of need, the Hale's answered.

"So Scott," Derek said as he sipped his cup of coffee, "Melissa was telling me that you've got yourself a boyfriend." Scott looked at his mother in shock, the color draining from his face. "I… Mum?" he stuttered out and Derek chuckled. "Nothing to be ashamed of you idiot," he said and put down the cup of coffee, "I couldn't be happier for you, Scott. You must love him a lot." Melissa smiled and raised her eyebrows, "Oh, Derek you should see him with Isaac! You can practically see the little babies in diapers singing their praises around them!" Scott, embarrassed beyond no measure narrowed his eyes at his mother as the both of them burst into laughter.

"Ha ha," he said sarcastically and the three of them stopped as Scott saw a figure entering the kitchen slowly. He was at Isaac's side before Isaac even entered the room properly, holding on to Isaac's shoulder and arm. "Hey," he said gently, "What're you doing out of bed, huh?" Isaac smiled up at him and stood up a bit straighter, "I'm feeling better." Melissa got up from the table and brought a soft pillow for Isaac to sit on and Scott lowered him into the chair slowly, careful not to jar his body too much. Isaac smiled and thanked them and then looked at Derek.

"H-Hi," Isaac said in a shy, quiet voice and Derek smiled and extended his hand to Isaac. "I'm Derek," he said and when Isaac put his own hand into Derek's, Derek was able to read a lot from him. "I'm Isaac," Isaac said, but didn't let go of Derek because Derek wasn't letting go of Isaac's hand. Derek was, admittedly, surprised that Isaac hadn't reacted like how most people would with breathless smiles and quick, frantic conversation, and he liked that. He looked down at Derek's hand, so much larger and strong and then back up at Derek again. "I-Is something wrong?" Isaac asked and Derek let go, his smile returning to his face. "No, sorry, Isaac," he said and glanced at Scott who was sitting back down after pouring Isaac a glass of orange juice, "Scott was just telling us how much he loves you."

Isaac looked at Scott, his eyes growing a little wide and Scott took his hand and looked at Derek. "So what brings you here, Derek?" Scott asked, but his mother replied instead. "Derek is going to be staying with us for a while," she said, "He needs a vacation away from the lights and the people, you know." Scott raised his eyebrow, unconvinced. "Coincidence is amazing, isn't it?" he said and his mother kicked him under the table. Isaac looked from Scott to his mother to Derek and it dawned on him. "You're here to look out for Scott?" he asked and Derek smiled a lopsided smile. "I'm here for the both of you, Isaac," he said and Isaac cocked his head to the side. "I don't understand," he said and Derek shook his head.

Mrs. McCall looked at Isaac and smiled softly. "Derek is here to protect the both of you," she said, "He knows how to and he'll make sure that the both of you are alright." Scott shook his head, "Derek can't be like some bodyguard, mum," he said defiantly, "You can't."Derek looked at Scott and saw the conviction on his face and chuckled. "Scott I don't see you having much of a choice right now," he said, "My guys dug up a lot about Lahey and let me tell you, Scottie, he's not some school bully that you can teach with a well placed fist. This man is smart and his methods are cunning."

Derek looked at Isaac who was looking down at the table, having retraced his hand from Scott's. "Sorry," he said quietly and Derek stood up from his seat. He went over to Isaac's side and crouched down next to him. Isaac was thinner than Derek first thought he was and when he put his hand on Isaac's thigh, he was careful not to press too hard. "Don't be sorry for anything you didn't do, Isaac," he said and looked up at Scott.

"Scott," Derek said and cracked his knuckles, "You're going to learn how to fight." Scott and Isaac both said, "What?" at the same time and Mrs. McCall stood up. "Isaac, here's the deal," she said, "It's either Scott learns how to defend you or that Scott learns how to defend you." Scott rolled his eyes, "Not much of a choice, is there?" he said and Melissa shook her head, "No, there isn't. I'm not going to let my boys be hurt by anyone anymore." "But…" Isaac started, but Derek smirked. "Don't worry, Isaac, once you get better, I'll teach you too," he said and pointed at Scott, "Get on your trainers, Scott."

Three hours later and a few shades darker, Scott had finally been allowed to take a break. He was covered in sweat and as he collapsed on the steps of the patio in the backyard, Derek came and sat next to Isaac who had been watching them from the shade. "That was amazing," Isaac said in awe and Derek smiled at him, sweaty and a little grubby. "Developed it myself," he said and wiped a hand over his forehead. Isaac looked at Scott who was breathing heavily and resting on his elbows at the patio. Half naked and covered in sweat, Isaac had to take self discipline to a whole other level to not look. Derek noticed and laughed as Isaac blushed a little.

"There's no harm in looking, you know," he said and Isaac looked down at the grass which had become amazingly interesting. "No," he said simply and Derek softened a little. This kid was so unsure of himself that Derek found it endearing. Now he knew what Melissa had meant when she said that you couldn't help but love Isaac. "Isaac let me tell you something," he said and Isaac looked up at him. "There's nothing wrong with looking at the person you love," he said and inclined his head to Scott, "He's looking at you right now." Isaac turned and saw that it was true. Scott was looking at him and when Isaac and his eyes met, Scott smiled at Isaac breathlessly. Isaac shook his head shyly and smiled again.

"Okay," Derek said and got up again, "I'm gonna borrow Scott for two more hours then you can have him back. How does that sound?" Isaac looked at Scott again and laughed for the first time in a while. "Don't kill him," he said and Derek smirked. "I'll try," he said wryly.

By the end of the day, Scott lay sprawled out on his bed completely exhausted and fell asleep before dinner. Isaac couldn't help but smile at Scott's effort and pulled a blanket over him. He went out of the room and descended the stairs slowly. Mrs. McCall greeted him at the dining room and together with Derek; they sat and had a pasta dinner. The food was delicious and listening to Mrs. McCall and Derek talking about old stories and past experiences; Isaac began to relax and for the first time, he didn't think about his father.

After dinner, Derek helped Mrs. McCall wash up and much to Isaac's protests, made Isaac sing. Mrs. McCall was stunned by Isaac's voice, quiet and controlled, unlike anything she had ever heard. It was beautiful as he sang Hey Jude by The Beatles and when he was finished, both Derek and Mrs. McCall gave him a round of applause. Isaac blushed and then excused himself, bringing a plate of food up for Scott.

When he was gone, Derek and Mrs. McCall sat down in the living room in comfort. "He's a good kid," Derek said and Mrs. McCall nodded. "Been through a lot too," she added and Derek looked at the stairs. "Reminds you of yourself?" she asked and he looked at her. "In some ways," he said and sighed, "Scott sure about him?" Mrs. McCall leaned forward a little and smiled at Derek. "Honey when has Scott ever NOT been sure of what he wants in his life?" she asked and Derek shrugged. "Good point," he said and leaned back into the soft armchair.

"Y'know Mel," he said, "The boys found out some pretty bad stuff about Lahey. Stuff that… Well it's bad." He looked at her seriously and her face turned serious. "I know," she said and looked down at her hands, "The sheriff showed me the files." Derek nodded and put a finger to his lips, contemplating his thoughts. "Scott finishes high school next year right?" he asked and Melissa nodded to him. "Why?" she asked and Derek shook his head. "Thinking of something," he said and Melissa shook her head. "You can't separate them," she said and Derek nodded. "I know," he said and looked up at the stairs again, "I was thinking more along the lines of taking Isaac away from here."

Melissa looked up at him, eyebrows raised and Derek looked at her, his ice blue eyes serious. "Are you sure?" she asked and he nodded. "Isaac can't stay here anymore. Not under his father's thumb," he said and Melissa cocked her head to the side. "Why do you want to help him?" she asked curiously. Derek stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the street. "Isaac deserves it," he said and then he saw Lahey Sr. looking at the McCall residence through his window and Derek's fingers closed, his knuckles popping.

"He deserves freedom."


	8. Chapter 7: Bang, Bang, Bang Goes My Sile

**Chapter 7: Bang, Bang, Bang Goes My Silent Mind**

Isaac hit the ground again and grunted, breathing heavily. He was covered in a light dusting of dirt and there was a small scratch on his left cheek. He turned onto his back and smiled up at Derek. "Almost had you then," he said quietly and Derek couldn't help but chuckle back. He helped Isaac back onto his feet and brushed off a piece of dirt from his shoulder and nodded approvingly. "You almost did Isaac, good," he answered and turned to Scott who was sitting on the steps of the patio. "He's a fast learner," he said and Scott twined his fingers together, shoulders tense from worry.

"Yeah, yeah, he's good, we've established that," Scott said quickly, "Can he stop now?" Isaac looked over to Scott and glanced at Derek who nodded before he walked over to Scott. He placed a hand on Scott's cheek and Scott looked up at him. "I want to do this," Isaac said and Scott looked down again. Isaac sighed and crouched down; Mrs. McCall, having impeccable timing, came out then and called the boys in for lunch and Derek took that cue to clear out, telling Isaac that they would pick up after the meal. Isaac looked Scott in the face and smiled at him. "Scott, tell me what's wrong," he said softly and Scott put a hand on Isaac's.

Scott knew that Isaac was well enough to be taught by Derek, after a total and embarrassing body check up by Mrs. McCall, she announced that Isaac was healed up enough to start being taught how to defend himself. "I don't like seeing you get hurt, Isaac," Scott said and Isaac's heart faltered a little. He melted every time Scott tried to protect him from hurt, but he also knew that this was something that he had to do. Isaac took Scott's hand and put it through his shirt and onto his shoulder. Scott felt the thin lines that marked the whole of Isaac's body, but felt a few round rises there. "What is that?" Scott asked and Isaac smiled painfully. "That was when my dad hit me with the metal end of his belt," Isaac said and Scott's stomach flipped a little. Isaac shook his head when he saw that Scott as going to say something and continued, "That move that Derek just taught me? That could have stopped this from happening. That is why I want to learn these things, Scott. That's why I don't mind being knocked down, because I learn something in the end."

Scott sighed and put his forehead on Isaac's. "I'm stronger than I let on," Isaac whispered and Scott chuckled once. "That I know for sure," he said and then looked at Isaac, "I'll try to be okay." Isaac put on a mock reprimanding face and said sternly, "You had better be okay, Mister!" to which Scott laughed and they heard Mrs. McCall saying loudly from inside, "If ONLY we had more company, right Derek?" The boys got up and went into the house, not wanting to get on her bad side.

Meals with the McCall's was always an interesting and amusing experience. Mrs. McCall always made something out of the ordinary, her "fusion of fusion food," she would call it. Today they were having something that looked like paella, but it was supposed to be eaten with unleavened bread and the oddest part was that there were pasta bits in the paella. "It's something new," she said proudly and Derek laughed as he picked up a piece of bread. "Melissa, you always have something new," he said and Mrs. McCall gave him a smile and sat down.

Isaac looked at the meal doubtfully, but when he bit into the bread topped with the paella and pasta, he was surprised to find that he absolutely loved it. "This is really good, Mrs. McCall," he said as he wiped his mouth and she thanked him. Suddenly the doorbell rang and Mrs. McCall frowned at it. "I'll get it!" Scott said happily and got up. Before he left the table he gave Isaac a quick kiss on the hand and left Isaac blushing in his seat.

"He can be a real pot of sugar syrup sometimes," Mrs. McCall said and laughed but the smile was wiped off her face when they heard Scott shout out and then everyone fell silent when they heard a bang louder than any car backfiring. Derek was on his feet and rushing to the front hall faster than any of them, and Mrs. McCall followed fast with Isaac behind them. Isaac wasn't as fast as the both of them, his body still hurting a little but he heard Mrs. McCall's scream and Derek's heavy footfalls running outside and then he heard another loud bang. "Isaac don't come in here," Mrs. McCall said quickly, "Get back into the kitchen and call an ambulance, then call the sheriff!"

Isaac wanted so badly to go to Scott's side, because a part of him knew that something had happened to Scott, but he did what he was told. After he had called the ambulance and the sheriff, he walked to the front hall but stopped at the doorway. Scott was leaning against the doorframe of the front door, sweating a little and there were tears running down his cheeks. Mrs. McCall had her first aid kit and was furiously changing swab after swab of cotton and iodine. But what stopped Isaac wasn't Scott downed on the floor or even Derek crouching down on one knee next to Scott, but the pool of blood that was slowly forming where Scott was sitting.

"S-Scott…?" Isaac said and Mrs. McCall looked around to Isaac. "Isaac quick, I need a warm, damp towel, take one from the bathroom cabinet." Isaac just stood there, dumbfounded, "Is he okay?" Mrs. McCall had tears in her eyes and her mouth of trembling a little, but her voice roused Isaac. "NOW Isaac," she said loudly and Isaac turned and ran to the bathroom. He quickly dampened the cloth and ran back to the front. He handed the cloth to Mrs. McCall and far away they heard sirens. "I'm going to kill them," Derek said under his breath and got up, going towards the lawn. Isaac replaced Derek's presence with his own and took Scott's hand. Scott opened his eyes and looked at Isaac painfully and smiled.

"I… T-Think I g-got some b-blood on the carpet…" he said and Isaac smiled at him. "Just a bit," he said, blinking back tears. "It went right through," Mrs. McCall said and wiped her brow, accidentally smearing blood across her forehead. Isaac looked at Scott and he looked at his mother. "M-Mum," Scott said, but she shook her head. "Don't," she said and just then the paramedics arrived. Her hands were trembling as she works and Isaac let go of Scott slowly and got up. He went around to Mrs. McCall and gently put his hands on hers. "Let go, Mrs. McCall," he said, but she shook her head and tears were pouring down her cheeks heavily. Isaac felt a pull at his heart at the fierce love she had and slowly tugged her hands away. "Let the paramedics take him," he said and she broke down.

She sobbed into Isaac's arms and he held her as Scott was being taken into the ambulance. "Take care of her," Scott managed to call out and Isaac tried to answer back, but his voice was drowned out with the sounds of the sirens. "I will," Isaac said and looked down at Mrs. McCall who was starting to calm down. He grabbed a piece of his shirt and wiped the blood from her forehead and smiled at her, a tear escaping his eye.

"He'll be okay," Isaac said, but he flinched as he saw the fury in Mrs. McCall's eyes. "I'll kill him," she said and Isaac knew that she wasn't talking about Scott. "He's already dead," a voice came from beside Isaac and he looked up at Derek who was standing over them. "The monster that shot Scott, he's dead," he said without any emotion in his voice, "I was the one that looked him in his eye and shot him through his black heart."

Isaac stared at Derek, his heart suddenly pounding.

_...My dad is dead?_


	9. Chapter 8: Bedside Revelations

**Chapter 8: Bedside Revelations **

Cold white lights, the rush of wind. Doctors clamoring, words that didn't make sense. Scott tried desperately to hold on to consciousness, pain sending lightning through his body every time he tried to speak. Noise and colors swirled around him and he was faintly aware of something warm flowing down his stomach.

"I…saac…" he said weakly and he slipped away into darkness.

Then everything became clear and he was standing in a field of summer flowers, a light wind blowing through his hair. "What the…" he said and looked around. He was alone in the field and it seemed familiar to him somehow. "Beautiful, isn't it?" a voice came from behind and Scott turned around to see a tall man next to him, arms crossed over his broad chest.

"DAD?!" Scott said and tripped over a stone, falling sideways. His father laughed and shook his head. "Still as graceful, I see," he said with an amused tone and helped his son up. "How… What…" Scott stammered out and his father laughed. "Use your words, Scotty," he said and Scott flew into his father's arms, hugging him fiercely. "Dad," Scott breathed into his father's chest, tears falling as he felt strong arms around him, smelling his father's aftershave and a hint of diesel oil – everything that had always reminded Scott of his father. "I'm here," he said as Scott sobbed into his shirt and he stroked the top of Scott's head, "Daddy's here."

After a minute, Scott let go of his father slowly and wiped his eyes dry. His father smiled down at him and nudged Scott's chin with his knuckles. "Walk with me," he said and Scott nodded. As they walked through the field silently, Scott suddenly remembered why this place seemed so familiar. "We came here when I was small," he said and his father looked at him and nodded. "It was a beautiful day and your mother insisted we do this," he said wistfully and smiled, his eyes crinkling around the sides, just like Scott remembered.

"Dad…" Scott said and stopped, "Am I dead?" His father's smile faltered a little and he put a hand on his son's shoulder. "Not yet, my boy," he said and looked to the sky, "Not if you fight back." Scott looked up at the sky and he noticed that clouds had begun to gather. "How?" Scott asked and his father sighed. "Remember the night I walked out?" he asked and lightning flashed across the sky. Scott nodded as he felt a pang of memory and suddenly they were standing in the living room of their old house, a broken table in the living room and a shouting match echoing through the house.

Scott's father was shouting at his mother and his mother was holding her ground, matching her husband's voice. Scott looked at his father who was standing next to him with a pained expression on his face and he smiled at Scott, taking his hand. "I'm sorry, Scott," he said as Scott brushed a tear away from his cheek. "Did you really hate us?" Scott asked quietly and his father frowned and looked down. "I never hated you or your mother, Scott," he said and turned his son towards him. "Listen to me," his father said and put his fingers on Scott's chin, making Scott look up at him, "I love you. I love you, you hear me. I never stopped loving you and I never will stop. You're my son and Melissa is my wife. I left because in anger and I regretted it my whole life."

Scott realized something then, like a cold splash of water in his face. "Dad… you're dead aren't you?" he asked and his father smiled at him. "This is about you, not me, Scotty," he said and just as he said that, Scott saw his who was shouting at his mother storm out of the kitchen into the foyer. He was so angry, but as he turned and saw a young Scott standing by the stairs, cheeks stained with tears, his anger seemed to break a little. The older Scott looked at the stairs and saw himself as a young boy and remembered the pain that he had felt, the questions that had haunted him for years after that. As his father opened the door and began to slam it shut, his father who was holding him leaned up and caught the door. "If you want to go back, go through the door, Scott," he said and Scott nodded before he hugged his father for the final time.

"I love you, Dad," he said and a tear slid down his father's face. "I love you too, Scott," he said and held the door open, "Tell your mother for me?" Scott nodded and walked through the door. He was about to look behind him to see his old house again, but then his vision blurred and his whole body felt heavier than a brick house. Scott gasped as his head began to throb and he felt a slight pain in his side.

The first thing that hit him was the light, bright and white fluorescent lights that burned his eyes. He exhaled a breath and turned his throbbing head to the side and he saw a head of long brown hair lying down on a bit of bed next to him. "…M-Mom…" he said weakly and reached out, his fingers brushing a bit of her hair. Mrs. McCall roused and lifted her head a little before she shot out of her chair. "Scott?" she said softly, her hand cool against the top of his head. Scott smiled a little and Mrs. McCall smiled back at her son, saying softly, "Oh Scotty."

"S-…Sorry," Scott said, but his mother shook her head and wiped his forehead. "Don't," she said and he saw that tears had begun to form in her eyes, "You're alright, that's all that matters." Mrs. McCall took a cup of water with a straw and held it up to Scott's mouth like she'd known he was thirsty and he drank what little he could manage. "Isaac?" he said, his throat being soothed by the cool liquid and his mother looked across the bed. Scott turned his head to see a sleeping Isaac in of the chairs, his head half hidden in one of his arms. "He's been here all the time," she said and Scott smiled at the sleeping form, his heart leaping a little. "How long was… I out?" Scott asked and Mrs. McCall looked at him with a pained expression. "You've been out for a month, honey," she said and Scott's eyes widened.

"A month?!" he said, startled and Mrs. McCall chuckled. "You've been out for two three days," she said and Scott managed to give her a half hearted scowl. "The doctors say that you'll be ready to leave be the end of the week," she said and Scott nodded and sighed. Mrs. McCall went over to Isaac and put a hand on his shoulder. "Isaac, honey?" she said softly and Isaac woke up instantly. He looked disorientated for a moment, looking around like someone had let off a firecracker, but when he put a hand on Mrs. McCall's hand, he seemed to calm down. He looked up at her and she smiled, nodding in Scott's direction and he looked at Scott.

Scott smiled at him and Isaac practically leapt to Scott's side, taking his hand and smiling widely, not hiding the tears that began to fall. "Scott," he said quietly and Scott smiled up at him. "Hi," he said and Isaac put his head down on Scott's chest and held him close. "I thought I lost you," Isaac said softly and Scott smiled. "I'm right here," he said and Isaac looked up at him before he leaned down, touching his forehead against Scott's. "I'm here too," Isaac said and Scott put a hand on the back of Isaac's neck, breathing in Isaac and then he remembered his father.

As Isaac leaned up from the bed, Scott held on to Isaac's hands and looked at his mother. "Mom," he said and his mother came to his bedside and took his other hand, "Mom I saw dad." Mrs. McCall's eyes widened a little and she cocked her head in confusion. "What d'you mean, honey?" she asked and Scott squeezed her fingers. "Mom, is dad dead?" he asked and Isaac looked at Mrs. McCall the same time she looked down. "Scott…" she said sadly. "Mom please," he said and Mrs. McCall looked up at him with tears in her eyes again and she nodded. "Last year," she said and Scott felt a lump in his throat. "Wh-Why didn't you t-tell me?" he asked, his voice quivering a little. His mother brought his hand up to her lips and kissed it before she sniffed and sighed.

"I was going to tell you, Scott," she said and smiled a painful smile, "But then we had to move and there was never a good time… Well there isn't a good time to bring something like this up. But I was going to tell you, Scott." Scott looked away from her, a tear sliding down to his ear. "I'm so sorry, Scott," she said but Scott shook his head and looked back at his mother. "I get it," he said and smiled at her. She nodded at him and wiped her eyes with her blouse sleeve. "How was he?" she asked with a small smile and Scott smiled at her. "Just like how I remember him," he said and she smiled, remembering her husband in his glory days.

"He told me to tell you that he loves you mom," Scott said and his mother's eyebrows knit together a little, she closed her fingers around her son's hand more securely and she fought to keep her voice level. "H-He was always s-so romantic," she said and Scott looked at Isaac who let go of him, giving him a smile before he went around the bed and hugged Mrs. McCall. As she hugged Isaac back, she sniffed and cried, finally letting a year's worth of secrets and strength ebb away from her, breaking down properly at the loss of Scott's father. Scott shed a few tears, but never let go of Isaac's hand which Isaac had caught a hold of as Mrs. McCall had let go. _Thanks, _Scott mouthed to Isaac and Isaac smiled at Scott, nodding.

Derek came into the room a while later, holding cups of coffee and had smiled broadly when he saw that Scott was awake. "Finally," he said, "We were about to pull the plug on you, kid." Mrs. McCall gasped before they laughed and Scott held his side in pain. "D-Don't make me laugh," Scott said, still holding his side, but a smile plastered on his face. Isaac never let go of his hand and through the laughs and the smiles and finally the soft looks that meant everything without words, Isaac held onto Scott and Scott never let go of Isaac's hand.

It was a time of happiness, but then Scott remembered something that darkened the mood of the room. "Derek," he said and Derek looked at him, a glint in his eyes, "Did they find out who shot me?" The room went to a pin drop silence and Derek's smirk vanished from his face. "Scott why don't you rest up and we'll talk in the morning?" Mrs. McCall answered, but Scott shook his head. "Tell me," he said and looked at Isaac who had looked down, "Tell me who it is."

"It was someone that was sent by Isaac's father," Derek said finally and Mrs. McCall gave him a stern look to which he ignored. "Scott," Isaac said, his voice strained and his eyebrows knit together in the saddest look Scott had ever seen,

"The guy who killed you was my brother."


	10. Chapter 9: Breaking Point

**Chapter 9: Breaking Point**

The low hum of refrigerators made Derek think he was in one of those giant freezers where people kept meat. Fluorescent lights and the smell of chlorine had made him uncomfortable at first, but he was doing this for Isaac. He leaned against the wall near the door with his hands in his pockets as Isaac went to one of the trays that held his brother's body. In this light, Derek saw Isaac's face cast in sharp shadows, sadness that he hadn't seen for months creeping up again.

Isaac sighed and looked at the white sheet that outlined his brother's body, trying to remember the circumstance of their last meeting. It had been after his brother had left for college, sometime in the summer. He had come back for a few days and had looked well, tanned and toned. There hadn't been an exchange of words, but Isaac had always felt that his brother at least had shown some care for him. Apparently he had been wrong. Isaac pulled the sheet back and sighed as his heart clenched as the now lifeless face of his older brother, drained of color and emotion. Then he looked down at his brother's chest, seeing the four holes that had ended his life. "Oh, Seth," Isaac said and slowly touched his brother's cold fingers, "I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault," Derek said and walked over to where Isaac was, putting a hand on his shoulder, "You know that right?" Isaac glanced up at Derek and looked down again and Derek saw a glint of tears on the boy's face. Derek sighed and put his arms around Isaac, Isaac returning the embrace, allowing himself to finally mourn for his brother. "I'm the one that should be apologizing," Derek said softly, "I pulled the trigger." Isaac leaned up from Derek's embrace and wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve. "You were protecting Scott," he said and Derek smiled and shook his head. "I could've just knocked your brother out, Isaac," he said, "I've shown you how to, remember?" Isaac nodded slowly and Derek looked at the lifeless body. "I shot your brother because I thought it was your father. I want that bastard dead," he said with such a menacing growl that Isaac was a little taken aback.

"So why don't you do it?" a voice came from behind them and as Isaac looked over Derek's shoulder and Derek turned, they saw Lahey Sr. step out from the shadows, his eyes ringed with a light red and a sneer on his face. Derek's jaw tightened and Isaac put a hand on Derek's arm. "Don't," he said softly and Derek's eyes twitched. "Give me a reason not to," he said and Isaac heard Derek's knuckles crack. "Dad please," Isaac said and looked to his father, "We don't want any trouble." His father laughed at him and pointed a finger accusingly. "You've been trouble since the day you crawled out from your mother, you piece of shit," he snarled and Derek took a step forward, but Isaac pulled him back with all his might.

"You've been a thorn in my side from the day you were born and now you've taken my son away," Mr. Lahey shouted at Isaac. The room stilled, nothing moving as the words sunk in and suddenly Isaac, for the first time in his life, raised his voice.

"I've been a thorn in YOUR side?" he shouted, voice breaking a little because of the strain, "I'M your son too, dad. Have you forgotten about me?! When Seth left, I earned money for you, I did all the chores and I endured your punishments. Not Seth, not mum. Me. I did that. You RAPED me, Dad. You raped your own s-son!" Isaac couldn't keep his voice up and crumpled a little, steadying himself on the metal tray as he coughed and wheezed. His father just stared at him, rage slowly filling his eyes. "You DARE ta-" he began to shout but was cut off as Mr. Lahey felt a freight train hit his face. He was grounded by the punch that Derek had delivered and as he looked up at the man, his eyes narrowed and he wiped a trickle of blood from his mouth.

"You're going to regret that," he said and Derek smiled sarcastically. "Come at me, grandpa," he said and pointed a finger to Mr. Lahey. "You come near my family again and you're a dead man, Lahey. Just remember that," Derek promised and Mr. Lahey got up and left the room, slamming the door shut. Derek turned and went to Isaac who had slumped onto the ground, breathing hard. "You okay?" Derek asked, crouching down next to Isaac who nodded and smiled faintly at him. "Th-thanks," Isaac said and Derek chuckled. "Any time, kid," he said and helped Isaac up. "Ready to go?" he asked and Isaac looked at his brother again and nodded.

They walked to the entrance of the hospital where Scott was waiting with his mother who had a smug expression on her face, contrasting Scott's grumpy one. "They're making me sit in this thing for a week," he said and Isaac smiled at him and laughed a bit as Mrs. McCall dissolved into giggles. "It's not funny, ma," Scott said and folded his arms and Isaac laughed and bent down to kiss Scott's cheek. "Excuse me," a nurse said, coming up to them and Mrs. McCall greeted her. "Hey Michelle, what's up?" Mrs. McCall said and the nurse named Michelle handed her a wallet. "Your son left his wallet here," she said and smiled at them before she left. Scott cocked his head to the side in confusion. "But I have my wallet here," he said and lifted it out of his pocket. Mrs. McCall looked down at the wallet and opened it. Then screamed and dropped it like it was made out of hot coals.

Derek picked it up and looked inside before glancing up at Isaac and pocketing the wallet. "Boys, you go straight to the sheriff's station with your mother and stay there," he said and Mrs. McCall looked up at Derek. "Derek," she said and Derek shook his head at her. "Don't even try, Melissa," he said, "No more." Derek stalked off and Isaac went to Mrs. McCall, taking her arm. "What was inside?" he asked and Mrs. McCall looked at him and patted him on the cheek. "Let's go to the sheriff's office, okay?" she said and walked off without another word.

Isaac looked at Scott nervously and Scott smiled. "Wanna wheel me to the car?" Scott asked and Isaac smiled at him. "You're not worried about this?" Isaac asked as he went around the wheelchair and began wheeling Scott to the car. "Of course I am, Zac," Scott said, "But I also know that Derek will take care of his family before anyone else, and you're family now." Isaac just nodded but said quietly, "That's what I'm afraid of."

The drive to the hospital was a mostly silent one, Isaac and Scott sitting in the back and Mrs. McCall driving leisurely through the traffic. Isaac slowly felt his eyes closing and Scott smiled and lowered Isaac's head onto his lap where Isaac curled up gratefully. Scott absentmindedly played with Isaac's curls and Isaac kissed Scott's thigh and said quietly, "I love you, Scott." Scott smiled with his eyes closed and leaned on the passenger window. "I love you too, Zac," he said before he dozed off too. In the front, Mrs. McCall looked in the rearview window at the boys and tears welled up in her eyes. Inside the wallet had been a picture of Isaac, hanging from his wrists in what looked like a basement – beaten, naked and bloody.

When they got to the police station, Mrs. McCall considered leaving the boys in the car for the few minutes she needed, but then denied herself. "Boys?" she said softly, turning around and shaking Isaac. They both roused at the same time and Mrs. McCall's heartstrings were pulled to breaking point when she saw Isaac's face, so childlike and trusting as he looked up at her and smiled. "Sorry, tired," he said and Mrs. McCall put a hand on his cheek. "You deserve the rest," she said and looked up at her son, "I'm guessing the wheelchair is out of the question?" Scott looked darkly at her and huffed. "I'm okay, mum," he said and opened the door of the car and winced a little. Isaac put ah hand on Scott's arm and looked at Scott with a level gaze. "No you're not, Scott," he said and got out of the car and pulled the wheelchair out of the booth as Mrs. McCall got out of the car. "Now stop being stubborn," Isaac said and nodded to the wheelchair. Scott looked at it unhappily but complied and got in. Isaac wheeled Scott into the station and Mrs. McCall went to the front desk to ask for the sheriff. After a few minutes, Sheriff Stilinski came out of the back, smiling fondly at Mrs. McCall.

"Hello Melissa," he said and looked at the boys, "Boys. What can I do for you?" Mrs. McCall sighed and nodded to the Sheriff's office and he nodded, turning and walking back to his office. Mrs. McCall went to the boys and leaned down, kissing them both on the forehead. "Stay here for a while, okay?" she said and went into the back. Scott looked at Isaac and smiled. "Curious as I am?" he asked and Isaac nodded. Scott grinned and wheeled himself near the wall of the office, ignoring the incredulous look from the officer at the front desk.

They only heard catches of the conversation, but they heard enough. "…Pictures of him…" "…Strung up…" "…Think…rape…" "Lahey…sick…" "…Threatened Derek…" Isaac backed away from the wall and Scott looked at him. "Isaac?" Scott said slowly but Isaac shook his head violently. "He took pictures… of me," he said and stared at Scott. "He raped me and then he took pictures of me," Isaac said in a horrified tone. "I'm going to kill him," Isaac said suddenly calm and walked out of the police station.

Scott called after Isaac, but by the time he got out of the station, Isaac was nowhere to be found. There had been something about the way that Isaac had suddenly gone deadly calm that had scared Scott. Because in his heart, Scott knew Isaac meant what he had said.


	11. Chapter 10: Strength

**Chapter 10: Strength **

Isaac stood outside his house, his hot breath making puffs of smoke waft up to the sky. The contemplated what he would do after everything was over; would he run, would he go to jail, would Scott still look at him the same way? All these questions, however, were drowned out by the half bottle of Jack Daniels that he held in his hand. "Screw it," he said softly and threw the bottle into the garbage bin outside his fence.

He walked up to the front door and banged on it twice, calling out for his father. "Dad? DAD!" he shouted, slurring very slightly, raising his voice till it hurt. The door swung open after a minute and there stood his father, lazily leaning on one foot, a smile on his face. "So you've come back," he said innocently and anger swelled in Isaac's chest. His father laughed and put his face forward a little, "Want to hit me? Go on, do it." Isaac lost it then.

The first hit took his father by surprise, Isaac surprising himself at his strength. His father stumbled back, his hand going up to his jaw where Isaac had clocked him and as Isaac's fist came around again, his father ducked and hit his son in the ribs. Isaac shouted out and doubled over a little, but not before he managed to slap his father's hand away from grabbing onto his hair. "C'mon you little shit," his father taunted at Isaac and picked up a letter opener from a table. Isaac looked around for anything he could use, but he found nothing.

Isaac looked at his father and straightened up, spitting out a little blood. "You hurt Scott, you hurt Derek and you hurt Mrs. McCall," Isaac said, breathing hard, "Now I'm gonna hurt you." There was a deadly glint in his father's eyes as he stalked towards his son, "My, how you've grown." Isaac lunged for his father, fists balled and a shout like no other escaping him. They fell onto the couch and as they tumbled, Isaac managed to hit his father against the coffee table, a deep gash cutting through his father's forehead.

He scrambled up and darted for the kitchen, but his father was faster and just as Isaac caught sight of the kitchen knives, he felt himself being tugged and thrown down a flight of stairs. Isaac hit his shoulder, feeling a sharp pain and he knew that he would only have his right arm to fight with now. He got up, trying to focus on the figure descending the stairs, but his vision had gone blurry. He blinked, trying to clear it and just before everything went dark, he saw a huge fist descending on his face.

Scott had tried to convince his mother and the police that Isaac was about to do something stupid, but no one was really paying attention to him. A bank was in the process of being robbed and the needed all the available officers to be present at the scene. "But he's going to get hurt!" he shouted to Sheriff Stilinski as the sheriff was getting into his car. "I'm sorry, Scott," the sheriff said with a sigh, "But we're needed there." Scott raked his fingers through his hair in frustration as he saw his mother get off her phone with a worried look. She came up to him and as he tried to start convincing her again, she shook her head. "Scott, there's been an accident on and I need to get to the ER," she said and Scott couldn't believe her. "But this is Isaac!" he pleaded with her and she took her son's hand. "Honey I know," she said sympathetically, "I'm worried about him too, but they need me. Just stay here and I'll be back as soon as I can, alright?"

As he watched his mother drive away, Scott sighed and sat back in his wheelchair, softly saying as he tried for the twentieth time to get through to Isaac, "Please pick up."

Isaac came to slowly, his head throbbing and a sick feeling rising in his stomach. There was a bright light over him that seemed vaguely familiar and then all at once, the dread took him. He tried to move his arms and legs, but when he felt the pull of leather, his heart turned to ice. "N-No," he said and heard a laugh from in front of him. "Back to square one, Isaac?" his father said and as Isaac's vision cleared up, he saw his father leaning on the washing machine, a cruel looking blade in his hands.

"NO!" Isaac shouted and struggled against the restraints, but his father just laughed. "Yes, scream and shout all you want, no one is going to help you," he said and walked over to him and plunged the blade into Isaac's thigh. Isaac screamed and his father caught a hold of his chin. "When are you going to learn," he said as he pulled it out and pushed it into Isaac's other thigh, slower this time, "That you're always going to end up here." Isaac opened his mouth as if to answer his father, but instead sunk his teeth into his father's hand, biting down hard. Isaac pulled hard and a chuck of flesh ripped out from his father's hand.

As his father shouted out and stabbed Isaac in the shoulder repeatedly before backing away, Isaac spit out the piece of flesh and smiled a bloody smile to his father. "I-I'm not the Isaac you used to know," he said as he fought the urge to scream because of the pain. His father came up to him and punched him in the face, "You fucking bastard! I'm going to fucking kill you!" He raised his hand, the blade glinting in the light and Isaac spit in his face. "You'll never kill me," Isaac said and raised his knee, kicking his father in the stomach and he turned a little, aiming another kick at his father's head.

He head the loud thump as his father hit the floor, blood spurting from his now broken nose and smiled at his father. "Derek taught me that," he said and bit back against the fresh flash of pain that went through his body. His father got up slowly, slipping a little on his bloody hands and went for Isaac, hitting him repeatedly on the body and on the head. Isaac grunted and shouted out a little, but he knew that his father was losing. For once, Isaac was beaten bloody and raw, but he had won.

When his father finally stumbled backwards, tired out, Isaac spit out a little blood and smiled at his father. "Are you done?" he asked and he saw the look of total rage and hatred on his father's face. As he rose, Isaac shouted out as loud as he could, "DEREK NOW!"

All at once, the room exploded with lights and shouts and Isaac had to squint at the amount of flashing lights. Derek stormed into the room with four other people, heavily armed and huge. They came in and knocked Isaac's father over and pointed their guns at him, telling him to stay down. Derek came over to Isaac and shook his head at him. "What, no grand finale, kid?" he asked as he released Isaac from his bonds and Isaac fell into his arms. Isaac smiled at Derek and took the handgun that Derek had strapped to his side. He slowly went over to his father with the help of Derek and aimed the gun at his father. "You have tortured me for years. You've shown me no love and you have treated me worst than dirt," he said as his father cowered at the dryer, "You're not fit to live." Two shots rang out into the night and at the police station, Scott looked up at the sky, sensing something had happened.

Two hours later, Scott got a call from the Emergency Room and all his mother had to say was Isaac's name and Scott got one of the officers left at the station to drive him there as fast as he could. He burst through the doors of the Emergency Room and his mother met him there. "Where is he," Scott asked as he quickly wheeled himself down the hallway. "There," Mrs. McCall said and went into one of the rooms with Scott. Isaac lay on the bed, propped up and bandaged, but he smiled broadly when he saw Scott. "Hey," he said as Scott wheeled himself up to the bed. "W-What…" Scott said and his face turned angry, "Where is he?"

Isaac just smiled and took Scott's hand, "He won't be a problem anymore." Scott's anger turned to confusion and he looked questioningly to Isaac. "He was going to shoot his father," a voice said and Scott turned to see Derek leaning against a wall, a look of smugness on his face. "Did you?" Scott asked and Isaac shook his head, "I couldn't in the end, but I did shoot the floor near him. I think that scared him." Derek chuckled, "Scared him? Isaac, you made him wet his pants." Despite himself, Scott smiled and held onto Isaac's hand tighter. "You really are something," he said and Isaac smirked at him and looked at Sheriff Stilinski who had just arrived.

"I head what happened," he said to Isaac and Isaac noticed that Mrs. McCall had suddenly straightened her back and patted her wispy hair down. "Lahey Sr. has been taken into custody for his crimes and he's going to face life imprisonment," the sheriff said and Mrs. McCall smiled at him and hugged him. "Thank you," she said and Scott crooked an eyebrow at the exchange, then looked at Isaac.

"You think-?" Scott asked and Isaac nodded to him. "Definitely," he answered and looked at Derek who was silently trying to not exist. "Derek," Isaac said and Derek looked up from a particularly interesting piece of floor and came over to him. "I never thanked you," Isaac said and Derek smiled at him. "I'm just happy you're safe, Isaac," Derek said and scrutinized Isaac's condition, "You know what I mean."

Isaac smiled and nodded, leaning his head back to the pillow.

He was safe. Isaac was safe and he had gained a family and absolutely nothing could bring him down.


End file.
